The Sweetest Sin
by GH Princess
Summary: Sinning is wrong but sometimes done for the right reasons, but who would have thought that it could feel so good. Chapter 28 is up! ... Primarily Lante and secondary Jomax
1. Indecent Proposal

**Hey everyone Ive been thinking about this for a while and I finally decided to try writing a Lante Fic. Its A/U and in POV format so here's the background info: **

**Dante grew up in Bensonhurst knowing Sonny as his father and they actually have a good relationship. He'd visit Sonny in PC as well as his brothers and sister. Olivia was totally against the life Sonny lived and Sonny respected that so he was grooming Dante to take over the legal parts of the business and kept him away from the illegal stuff. During one of the times Dante visited PC he met Lulu and they became friends with benefits - basically hooking up and hanging out when he was in town. No relationship, just friends and sex. They've been doing that for about 3 yrs. **

**Suddenly Sonny unexpectedly dies and this brings Dante to PC. Lulu's history is the same as the show.**

**1 Indecent Proposal**

**Dantes POV**

I was going to hell for this. Being raised in an extremely Catholic Italian family I was taught at an early age about morality and integrity. Had it not been for the Corinthos blood running through my veins I probably would have stuck to those morals, but once again nature had won the ever long battle against its rival nurture. There were at least 5 different sins I was committing and my Nona would have a heart attack if she knew what I was doing. My dad would have been more understanding. This was something Sonny Corinthos would have done, so I guess it was fitting.

"This," She gasped, cutting her statement short and inflicting pain in my arms to make up for her lost words. "This isnt right."

What made her think I didnt know that? Everything about this screamed wrong, but I was too far to turn back on my own. "You can leave anytime. Im not making you stay." I snapped. My attitude was uncalled for, especially since I needed her more than she needed me but she did not know that; at least not yet.

Her bright amber eyes flashed with anger in response to my attitude and she shoved me away heading for the door. "Screw you Dante." That feistiness was one of the things that attracted me to Lulu Spencer. I never had to wonder what she was thinking because she would tell me whether I wanted to hear it or not.

Before she could leave I grabbed her arm and pushed her back to the door, pinning her to the flat surface. With he in heels we were almost the same height and I looked straight into the eyes of the woman whom I had been falling in and out of bed with for the past 3 years. I was close enough to easily smell the scented lotion on her skin; the same scent she was wearing the night I had met her in Jakes 3 years ago. My head leaned lower, placing my lips against her neck lightly then moving up to whisper in her ear. "Im sorry."

I stepped closer molding my body with hers, and her fingers threaded through my hair as I ravished her neck with kisses. "Dante." Lulu's velvety voice uttered helplessly. Just as quickly as her eyes had flashed with anger, now they were clouded with desire. My hand moved to the hem of the dress that stopped at her knees and pushed it slowly up to her waist, taking time to feel the smoothness of her thighs. Every part of her was so soft that I wanted to bury myself in her as I had done countless times before. Loose myself for a while so I did not have to think about the fact that my younger brothers and sister were without a father, and the vultures were already buzzing to tear apart the business he had spent his life building.

"Not here." I heard her say again in that same helpless tone. "This isnt right."

Her words fell on deaf ears as I easily lifted her up and carried her to the top of the desk my father had been sitting around alive and well just a week ago. Sex in my fathers office while he was barely cold in the grave; it would take about 100 Hail Marys and a full day of confession to save my soul after this. I took a step back and started undoing my pants. "If you want to leave this is your last chance."

The belt unbuckled and her eyes pleaded with me, but she never moved or spoke.

The button was undone and I stepped towards her. "This isnt you." She said almost as a warning and I waited for her to make an exit attempt, but again there was none.

The zipper came down.

A part of me wanted her to leave so that I was forced to hold on to the morality I had been taught. But nature had once again taken precedence and I was giving into the innate need to seek out pleasure. The kind of pleasure that could only be found when Lulus smooth legs were wrapped around me, when her nails we digging into my back, when her walls were draining me, when my name left her mouth in the form of a wanton cry.

We stared at each other for what felt like forever waiting for a move to be made. Whispers of her blonde hair framed her face and the rest cascaded in waves down her back. My hand went to the back of her head bringing her to me and fusing our lips so I could taste the sweetness of her mouth. God she was intoxicating; the kind of drug that was easy to get hooked on.

Never breaking the kiss I stepped into her and wrapped her legs around me. "You make me crazy." She moaned burying her head against my chest. It always amazed me how we seemed to fit like we had been designed specifically for each other. In another circumstance, another time, I might have actually dated Lulu and brought her to Bensonhurst to meet my family. Although she wasnt of Italian lineage or Catholic, my mother and Nona would have loved her. They had a sincere appreciation for strong women.

I moved with a mission to forget about the world, even if it was just for a few precious minutes. It was not long until submerged in the throes of passion she repeated my name as a mantra. "Dante Dante Dante!"

My palms rested in either side of her face and I raised her head so that I could visually capture the moment when she went over the edge. "Stop fighting it." I told her before pinning her wrists to the desk and kissing her hard to intoxicate myself with her essence even more. The shudders, trembles, and gasps erupted from her body all at once, and I watched her eyes close as she lost control.

Strands of hair were now stuck to her forehead and her lower lip was clasped between her teeth. All five of my fingers combed through her hair as she leaned into my touch sighing, before finally opening her eyes. Pure, unbridled lust emanated from her and it had never looked sexier.

It was now or never before I lost my nerve. "Marry me."

**What do you think?**


	2. What Do You Want From Me?

**I've decided to put dates at the beginning of the chapters so you can see the time frame of the story. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.**

2 – What Do You Want From Me?

Lulu's POV – April 1st 2012

"Marry me."

Everything was still a little fuzzy after that orgasm. My senses had not fully caught up with me, but I could have sworn Dante had just asked me to marry him. We had not been together since he last visited 6 months ago, so this rendezvous was a long time coming and I assumed his proposal was a slip of the tongue.

"I'm starting to feel a little rejected here." Dante said flashing me the charming smile that showed his dimples.

Was he serious? He could not be serious. Outside of sex there was no major connection between us and he had never so much as asked me out on a real date. Now all of a sudden he wanted to marry me. I would be lying if I said I was not a little curious. "Why do you want to marry me?"

Gazing into my eyes and caressing my face he told me the words I was dreading. "I love you." What a jackass! Had I been anyone but Luke Spencer's daughter I might have believed those adorable dimples and charming smile, but thankfully I had inherited my father's ability to spot a con from a mile off. I bent down to pick up my discarded panties, but Dante got to them first keeping them out of my reach. "Hold on. What's with the look, can't I love you?"

His constant insincere comments made me roll my eyes. "What's my legal first name?"

By his expression you would have though I asked a stupid question. "Lulu." He answered confidently. It never once occurred to him that Lulu was short for something else; he was too caught up in getting me out of my clothes to care.

"No. What's my favorite color?"

His confidence faltered and he shrugged absentmindedly. "Purple?"

I almost laughed at that, so I decided to give him an easy one. "No. Who's my best friend?"

"Carly."

"No!" I shouted not believing he actually got that wrong. Maxie was my roommate and he had heard me talk about her before; I even introduced them. "That's why you can't love me, because you don't know me. Whenever you're in Port Charles 70 percent of our time is spent NOT talking in a hotel room and the other 30 is in bars or clubs. Those aren't exactly 'get to know you' scenarios." Maybe I was expecting too much. We had agreed that our relationship would be strictly physical – no strings attached – but he should at least know who my best friend is.

"Ok so I don't know the details. That doesn't mean I don't care."

"Oh so now we're down from love to care." Changing his words at the drop of a hat; he was definitely Sonny's son. Unlucky for him that I had no intention of being on his list of broken hearts. We agreed to no strings and I was surely going to keep my end of the agreement, not for his sake but for mine.

"You know what I mean." His deep voice resounded, and it was so believable that a part of me wanted to buy into the fairy tale that just maybe Dante Falconeri actually had feelings for me, and wanted a relationship. That would make this ridiculous attraction I had to him justifiable.

When Dante and I met 3 years ago in Jakes I was attracted to him at first glance. My mind instantly drifted to places it never had before. I wanted to feel his hands roam my body and his tongue taste my skin. We flirted for a few days and I kept up the pretense of non interest, but lust had eventually caught up with us and we wound up in a room above Jakes never even making it to the bed. I told myself it was just one night - one night to fulfill my curiosity then it would be over. Little did I know that that one night would lead me to an addiction that was Dante Falconeri. He kissed me until my mind went blank, touched me like I was a wonder, and had sex with me until my muscles ached. Dante made me his that night and he did not even know it.

Now he was standing before me, my panties dangling from his finger, professing his so called love. The first few buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing the chains around his neck. I ran all 10 of my fingers across the jewelry and around his neck, then up into his thick black hair. It had grown out more since I last saw him but he still looked as handsome as always. Our eyes stayed glued to each other and I tried to decipher what was going on behind those dark brown orbs. There was so much I did not know about him, and he never offered any information so I never asked. All I really knew about Dante was that he had the ability to make my legs go weak and all my rationale disappear. Sex was his weapon and he knew how to handle it skillfully.

"Does this mean you believe me?" He asked seductively putting his knee in between my legs to spread them apart. The free hand that was not keeping a tight hold on my underwear wrapped around my leg, mid calf, and slowly found its way to my inner thigh.

He made small circles against my skin and I leaned into him letting his hand go further. "The only thing I believe you love about me is the way I look naked underneath you."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

Going against the needy ache of my body I took his hand from between my legs breaking the mood. I may have wanted him but I was not stupid. Wherever all this marriage talk was coming from it was not a place of love. Dante and Sonny were pretty close and for him to die so suddenly must have been a shock. Maybe this was his way or grieving or lashing out. "Losing Sonny without any warning must be hard, but jumping into a marriage with a woman you barely know is not the way to cope." I advised sympathetically.

Dante blew out an exasperated breath and moved away from me to sit in Sonny's chair. "Clearly my dad didn't think so."

"Why do you say that?"

Whatever was on his mind bugged him to the point that he was twisting a pen between his fingers, and clicking it in and out every few seconds. I had never seen him this agitated. "He left me most of his legal holdings, but as usual with Sonny Corinthos there's a catch to everything. For me to get access to my inheritance I have to marry you."

This day could not be real. I was either drunk and hallucinating or dreaming; either way what was happening could not be real. "You're joking right."

"Do you see me smiling?" He commented dryly.

I could not mentally process what Dante was saying. Things like this only happened in the movies not real life. "I know Sonny and my dad were good friends but why would he want you to marry me?"

"I have no idea, but his will clearly states that my inheritance is contingent on me marrying you. If I don't everything that would have been mine gets sold. His ownership shares in the casinos, the coffee business, the island, his house, and other assets. Everything."

My legs shook and I had to sit down before I fell over. Marriage was never a big consideration of mine, at least not yet, and here I was being goaded into an arranged marriage. The citizens of Port Charles provided a firsthand view of how easily marriages ended and how people who claimed to love each other above all could hurt each other the most. I was not about to submerge myself into that situation, especially when it could be avoided. "There has to be a way out of this."

"Trust me I had Alexis go over that will with a fine tooth comb and there is no loophole. Diane is an excellent lawyer and she made sure it was iron clad. I even asked Jason for help since he owns the other half of the businesses, but my dad made sure there was a provision that Jason couldn't buy his shares and sign them over to me. If Jason were to buy out Sonny's holdings, I get no part of it. So either I marry you or it all gets sold to the highest bidder."

When I met Dante all I was hoping for was maybe a date where we could actually talk, and instead we had gone from just sex to a marriage proposal. This was too much. "I have to go."

"Wait, you haven't answered my proposal." Dante stood up as I tried to straighten myself out so I would not go back to the outside world looking like I had just had really great sex.

He returned my panties and I quickly put it back on, then grabbed my bag. "I'll get back to you." I mumbled, desperately wanting to leave. This situation called for a pint of caramel ice-cream and comfort food from Kelly's. Maybe then I could sort it out.

"It needs to be soon. We have to be married within 60 days of his death or I forfeit the inheritance." Great! Now I was being put on a time clock. Who the hell did I piss off in life to deserve this? Scratch the comfort food, I needed a drink. "Lulu wait." The door was open with my hand still on the knob and I turned around reluctantly dreading whatever he had to say next. His mouth curved into that notoriously charming smile and those gorgeous dimples came out. "For the record I don't just love you naked underneath me. I also love you naked on top of me." Only Dante could make jokes while my stomach was in knots, but unconsciously I smiled anyway before closing the door.

Once I got outside into the cool spring air I took a deep breath in and exhaled whishing I could breathe out the right answer to his question and to my own. Did I really want to be Mrs. Dante Falconeri?

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	3. You Can Run, Hide But You Can't Escape

**3 - You Can Run, You Can Hide but You Can't Escape**

**Lulu's POV – April 8th 2012**

I managed to avoid Dante for an entire week. He had called, texted, and emailed, and I ignored every single one of them so I could pretend for a little bit longer that he did not ask me to marry him. Kate as usual kept me busy for the week especially since Maxie was in the city trying to get the latest scoop on one of New York's up and coming young designers. The torture was welcomed because I dreaded having to go home every night this week to an empty apartment. That would mean facing my thoughts; something I was nowhere near ready to do. Keeping up with my mission to forget, I went to the place where I could leave my problems at the door and drown my sorrows. "Coleman Tequila, and leave the bottle." I said dropping my purse on the bar top and taking a seat on the stool.

"Coming right up darlin'." Coleman poured my drink and placed the bottle, a salt holder and lime wedges in front of me. Without hesitation I licked the salt, put the shot glass to my lips to swallow the hash amber liquid, then sucked on a lime wedge to reduce the burn. Before the sting of the liquor was gone from my throat, I was already pouring another shot.

"Keep going like that you won't know your own name soon." Someone pointed out sitting a stool away.

My head briefly turned to the direction of the voice. "I can only hope."

"Her drinks are on me." Johnny Zacchara told Coleman and I nodded politely in his direction for the kind gesture.

Johnny and I had a relationship and It worked for a while but eventually the reality of who he was and who I wanted him to be made us being together a lost cause. Not to mention him having an attraction to my best friend which only added fuel to fire. The breakup was nasty, but I got over it and eventually Johnny and I became friendly. He had helped me at a point in my life when I was literally losing my mind, so for that I would always be grateful.

When I met Dante, my relationship with Johnny had just ended so I was inclined to agree with his no strings attached policy. The sex was great but the attachment was greater, and I found myself wanting to know him and understand him after one night. He had the same charismatic aura that surrounded Sonny. The type that made women bend backwards for him no matter the cost; even if it meant losing herself in the process. Hell I was already at the point where his kiss made me more submissive than I ever had been with another man.

"So what are you trying to forget?"

What wasn't I trying to forget would have been a better question. In the matter of a few hours my biggest contention went from dealing with Kate and her constant demands, to deciding if I wanted to marry a man whom I was unexplainably attracted to. "An indecent proposal."

Johnny raised an eyebrow curiously. "Sounds… kinky."

"You have no idea." I mumbled, before downing another shot. Thinking of the way Dante's lips seared my skin, and how just his hands could make me spasm repeatedly in ecstasy; internal warmth surged all over. Plus the alcohol in my system definitely was not helping. As much I would love to get drunk and forget the world, the headache tomorrow would not be worth it so I stopped after the second shot and got a beer instead.

Johnny finished his beer and put enough money on the bar to cover both sets of drinks. "For what it's worth I hope your indecent proposal become a decent one. You deserve that." He smiled and touched my arm before leaving. From his lips to God's ears I hoped.

"I'll have whatever the lady's having." An all too familiar voice from behind of me said. I could feel the allure and confidence oozing from his pores, and I internally cursed God and the universe for making a man so well put together that just the sound of his voice made me uneasy.

**Dante's POV**

As soon as Lulu recognized my voice her body shifted in the seat, but she never turned around. I deliberately reached over her shoulder for the full bottle of beer and my hand brushed across her hair. It felt like the finest silk had been cloaking my arm. Still facing her back, I leaned down so that I could whisper for her ears only. "You've been avoiding me."

"You realize that and yet you still keep trying to find me." She got off the stool to one of the free pool tables, and began racking up the balls. Like a puppy unable to resist its beloved master, I followed.

There was an obvious edge and attitude in her demeanor which she made no attempt to hide, but instead of deterring me all it did was increase the yearning I had to have her methodically moving her hips on top of me. I picked up a pool stick and took a step back so she could break, and also so I could watch her butt when she bent over. She had a really cute butt.

"Ladies first." When I walked into the bar, Lulu and Johnny Zacchara seemed to be rather friendly; just how friendly I wasn't sure but I was very curious to find out. "So is Johnny the reason you haven't been answering my calls?"

She tapped the white ball to send the colored ones splaying in various directions. "And that's your business how?"

I shrugged trying to make my interest seem nonchalant even though I was dying to know. "You two just seemed close when I walked in."

Lulu made another move then stood in front of me, leaning against the pool stick with a smug smile. "Careful Dante if I didn't know better I would think you were jealous."

I returned the same smug smile she had given me and entered her personal space, making it almost impossible for her to flee. Her lips were so close, practically calling for me to kiss them but I resisted the urge just to be a tease. "Can't a guy be curious about the company his fiancé keeps?"

"I'm not your fiancé." Her palm rested flat against my chest to push me back, and I wondered if she could feel the way my heart was racing from her touch.

"Not yet but you will be." I had been with my share or women but there was something unexplainable about my attraction to Lulu that kept me coming back. Every time I was around her I wanted her. I wanted to touch her, kiss her, and make her say my name over and over like it was the only word she knew. "I'll definitely make it worth your while."

"There's nothing you can offer me I can't get somewhere else."

She made an attempt to side step me and I put my arm around her waist to keep her from going further. I could feel her body though the clothing and damn she felt good. "I didn't know it was that easy for you to get $500,000."

Fire and curiosity blazed in her eyes as she looked into mine wondering what I was up to. "You want to pay me to marry you? I'm not sure if I should feel insulted or not."

It never occurred to me that she would take me offering to pay her as an insult. I was in no way trying to disrespect or degrade her; I just wanted a yes to the proposal. "Don't think of it like that. Just think of it as a business transaction. You're giving up your time so I'm just compensating you for your time."

Lulu glanced down at my arm that was still around her waist. It felt so natural to be touching and holding her, I forgot it was even there. Nevertheless, I got the hint and moved it. "$500,000 seems like a lot. We'd only be married until the paperwork for your inheritance goes through - that's maybe a month or two tops."

"Not exactly." I told her, hoping I could have left out this bit until after we were married; but I didn't want to lie to her so I reluctantly divulged the previously neglected information."When I marry you I get access to some of my inheritance, basically just the shares in the coffee business and his house. To get the rest of it like the island, the casinos, stocks, bonds etcetera, we have to stay married for a year. On our first anniversary I get everything."

If it weren't for us being in public place I was pretty sure Lulu would have slapped me or possibly thrown something at me. She opened her mouth several times to speak, but closed it each time as if trying to find some calm. Her fingers clenched and released around the pool stick, so I took a few steps back just in case she got the urge to swing. My reflexes were extremely sharp, but people had incredible strength when they were angry. She put down the stick on the table and pointed a finger in my face like nuns in my Catholic elementary school would do while they gave us a lecture. "It's one thing to be married a month or two, but a year? There is no way I'm doing that, so you're just going to have to live without the island and the casinos and whatever else." Lulu snapped in a hushed but angry tone.

This kind of smoldering anger was sexy on her rather than offensive or intimidating. So much so that my thoughts had strayed from her irate words to what she would look like in a short pleated plaid skirt (no panties of course), high heels, a white shirt that stopped just above the skirt's waistband so I could see her bare midriff; the first two buttons undone with a black lace bra peeking out from underneath. Who knows, maybe this marriage might not be so bad after all.

Her fingers snapping in front of my face brought me back from my dirty fantasy. "What are you smiling about? Are you even listening to me?"

"Yeah, yeah." I nodded kind of telling the truth. "Lulu have a heart. Michael, Morgan, Kristina and I loved that island; some of our best memories are there. I can't just let it get sold when I know I could have done something to keep it in the family." I tried, hoping to find some compassion. She struck me as one of those good girls my Nona always wanted me to bring home. Well thinking back to some of our nights together, maybe not the traditional good girl, but I believed she had a good heart.

Some of her anger seemed to melt and it was replaced with sympathy. "Dante I want to help you, but a year is too much I'm sorry."

"One million dollars." I offered knowing that it would be hard to resist such an exorbitant amount of money. Lulu's jaw literally dropped and I almost laughed out loud at her surprised face. I grinned and began to give my sales pitch, hoping that the price was right. "It would probably take you half your life to earn that kind of money at your regular job. You have the opportunity to do it in a year and all you have to do is say I do."

Lulu shifted apprehensively from one foot to another and I could not help but stare at the way the denim hugged her legs from ankle to waist. The dark fabric curved beautifully over her hips and butt and I wondered what kind of panties were beneath it. "Let's say hypothetically that I agreed to this. What exactly would happen?"

'Damn it' I cursed in my head when her words brought me back to the present once again. I seriously needed to stop fantasizing about this woman. "We get married as soon as possible, live together and pretend to be a happy couple. On our first anniversary I get the rest of my inheritance, you get your one million dollars and we get the marriage annulled."

"You mean divorced?"

"I'm Catholic, we don't to divorce." This probably was not the time to be referring to my religion since I was already neck deep in sins, but some things had stuck with me throughout the years: my feelings towards divorce being one of them.

"Really Catholic?" Her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "So I guess you skipped that Sunday when they were teaching about premarital sex."

"Very funny." I rebutted sarcastically. She had a point about my not so church-like lifestyle, but in my defense I never professed to be perfect. We were getting off track so I reverted to the topic at hand. "This isn't a good place to talk. I got an apartment not too far from here. Come by tomorrow about 7 and have dinner with me so we can sort out the details and hopefully come to an agreement that works for the two of us. I'll text you the address."

Lulu watched me keenly and I could see her trying to discern my motives. "Just talk Dante, that's it." She warned.

I raised my hands defensively and laughed at the insinuation. "I only asked for dinner and a conversation. Whatever happens after that is all up to fate." The seething anger began to resurface in her features, and I watched with a smile as she picked up her purse and proceeded to leave the bar without another word. "Good night Lesley Lu." I said out loud.

Her strides stopped for a brief moment then continued out the door, and I wished I could have seen her reaction to me finding out her full name. I really hoped it was that same striking smile I never forgot seeing the first night we met.


	4. Boy Meets Girl, Girl Likes Boy

**Thank you everyone for all the great reviews they are much appreciated and inspire me to write more so keep it up :)**

**4- Boy Meets Girl, Girl Likes Boy… It's Your Typical Story**

**Lulu's POV – April 9th 2012**

The sandman avoided my apartment last night, leaving me tired with bags under my eyes. Thank God for make up or I would have looked like the walking dead. Dante's proposal had been weighing heavily on my mind. A year of my life was a lot to give up, but having a million dollars in return would certainly make up for the time lost. Then there was the other consequence of possibly falling for Dante. I liked him from the first time he came to town. He was handsome, charming, fun, and God he could kiss to make a girl's knees go weak. Not to mention the swoon worthy dimpled smile that couldn't help but make you wonder what your future children would look like. Being that he was only here for a week or two at a time it was easy to keep my feelings at bay. We would live in the moment, enjoy each other's company, then go back to our regular lives. This time would be extremely different. For 12 months we would be living in the same house, sharing the same space, eating together, and more than likely sleeping together. How could my feelings not grow after that? In the 2 weeks he had been back to take care of Sonny's affairs, I was already being held captive by his alluring aura. A year would surely send me into a romantic freefall.

With what seemed like the world on my shoulders I made my way to Kelly's hoping for a cup of strong coffee to give me some energy. When I opened the door, to my surprise Maxie was at the counter happily talking to Johnny. I thought she was still in the city since she did not come home last night or this morning. I guess this was confirmation of my suspicion that they were seeing each other. For two people who liked to live on the edge they were doing a very crappy job of hiding their relationship or whatever it was. Johnny would drop by Crimson unannounced, Maxie would disappear at night and come home early the next morning before I was awake to make it seem like she had been in bed most of the night, and if I walked into a room they would go from talking to practically ignoring each other.

I walked into the diner and true to form Maxie scrambled as if she had seen a ghost. "Hi Lulu." She greeted a little too cheerily.

"Hi." I told her with a suspicious smile. "I didn't hear you come home last night. When did you get back?"

"This morning actually. I was so starving I came straight here." Maxie was not a major sit down to eat breakfast person, especially this time of the morning. A latte with a muffin or croissant - basically food she could pick at or eat on the go- and she was just fine. So I found it strange that all of a sudden she was so starving. "I happened to just run into Johnny." She made a note of pointing out.

'Sure you did' I thought to myself. Maxie was slipping because I knew she could do better than that.

An awkward silence loomed between the three of us and I glanced between the two of them slightly amused at their discomfort of having me here. "I have to go… do something." Maxie finally said before making a swift exit as fast as her four inch heels could go.

Once she was gone I turned to Johnny who was avoiding my face by taking up a strange fascination with the bottom of his coffee cup. The two of them really were on the verge of pathetic. What did they think I was going to do lose my mind again because they were dating? "So how long are you two going to keep sneaking around for?"

Johnny choked on the coffee that was midway down his throat and I casually handed him a napkin, waiting for an explanation. "What do you mean?" He asked, trying to play dumb.

I was actually kind of insulted that he was seriously going to lie to my face. "I'm not blind or stupid Johnny. Do you really think I wouldn't pick-up on the fact that you and Maxie are involved?"

He sighed defeated and finally came clean. "I'm sorry, we were going to tell you but we didn't want to hurt you any more than we already did."

Johnny and I had been over for three years. When we broke up it hurt, but as time progressed I realized we were better off apart. The strangest thing was I never felt any inclination to try again or even got that nostalgic feeling of what could have been. Once I was over the break up, my life had gone on for the better. "Thank you for being considerate and I will admit it is a little strange that you're dating my best friend; but you and I don't work as a couple and we never will. Obviously you and Maxie do, so if you make each other happy I'm fine with that." I told him sincerely.

"Maxie will be really glad to hear that. You mean a lot to her and she loves you, even if she doesn't show it sometimes." Johnny incited.

"I love her too even if she is a pain sometimes." Maxie and I were an interesting pair, and proof of the fact that even the greatest enemies could work through their differences. We were more alike than either one of us was willing to admit back then, but eventually our similarities, including falling for the wrong men, brought us together as friends. If there was one good thing that came out of that dreadful Logan situation was my friendship with Maxie,

Johnny placed the money for the coffee on the counter. "I'm going to see if I can catch up with her. Thanks Lulu." He kissed me on the cheek and practically ran off to find her. Hopefully Johnny would be Maxie's price charming. She deserved some happiness in life. Spinelli came close, and she really did try to be a better person for him, but let's face it he could not handle Maxie. She was too much of a free spirit for him to keep up. If Johnny could keep up then more power to them; I would even help plan their wedding if it came to that. That would be something extra to keep me occupied during the year I was married to Dante.

I groaned out loud at the thought. Married. The word made me lose both my appetite and the taste for coffee. At this rate I was going to get an ulcer from trying to make up my mind. Dante made it clear from the start that he did not want a relationship, just friends and sex. Because I would rather have a part of him in my life than not at all I agreed. So the question now was not simply whether or not to marry him; it was if one million dollars was worth the broken heart I would have at the end of the year?

**Dante's POV – That Evening**

My intention was to make Lulu a fantastic dinner in hopes that my great culinary skills would help to coax into agreement, but by the time I got back from the market I was so irritated that none of the dishes I attempted to cook came out right. The pasta was too soft, the alfredo sauce was way too salty, the chicken was tough and the bread burnt. The only thing that was still intact was the salad. Therefore I resorted to ordering in from this really good Italian restaurant I had discovered on one of my visits.

It was not like me to be so on edge because of a woman. I was usually the one in control and ready to walk away once I had lost interest, or I found something better. Instead here I was making a mess of a simple meal I had learned to cook since I was a teenager, all because I saw Johnny Zacchara kiss Lulu through Kelly's window.

Earlier that day, after getting some supplies at the store, I was about to enter the diner when I caught sight of them deep in conversation at the counter. Lulu was on a stool turned towards him, hand beneath her chin and legs crossed at the knees, seemingly engrossed in whatever they were talking about. Curiosity embedded my brain wondering what they could possibly be talking about. They were too far for me to read lips so my imagination basically ran wild. It seemed like their encounter went on forever until Johnny finally stood up, kissed her on the cheek and left. I backed away from the door quickly so that he would not catch me spying, then went back to my surveillance spot to get another look at her. Now she was facing front sipping at the cup in front of her until she eventually pushed it away.

I did not know much about Johnny Zacchara: just that the family was a direct rival to the Corinthos Organization, his father was crazy and his sister was just as bad. Johnny was apparently the saving grace in that family of lunatics. In all the times I had visited, Lulu never mentioned him or being involved with anyone, but this was the second time I had seen them together in close quarters, so obviously something more was there. Maybe it was a recent thing, my mind tried to reason, but that did not make the jealousy any more manageable.

It should not have bothered me who Lulu chose to spend time with; after all we were not committed. But the thought of her body succumbing to pleasure from another man, moaning for him, and saying his name the way she said mine bugged me even beyond my comprehension.

A knock at the door made me put aside my jealous thoughts, and focus on the fact that Lulu was going to be here with me tonight and not Johnny, so that was a point for team Dante. I opened the door and greeted Lulu who was casually cute in jeans and an emerald green blouse which wonderfully accented her skin. "Hi."

"Hi." She responded with a smile, then walked past me. The sound of heels clicking on the hardwood brought my attention to her feet, which were covered in what looked to be about 3 to 4 inch strappy green sandals to match her blouse. Even her french manicured toes were cute peeping from the front of the shoes. The heels made her legs seem like they stretched for miles, and my mind instantly went to a dirty place picturing those legs wrapped around me.

Lulu walked around watching the surroundings intently and taking in all the details. I guess working for a fashion magazine made you appreciate the details more. "Your place is nice. It suits you." She complemented.

"Thanks, I think so too. Reminds me a lot of home." I was strangely glad to have her approval. When I decided to move to Port Charles after Sonny's death I could have stayed in his house, but that place had way too many memories, and it seemed like his spirit still inhabited there. So my next option was to find a place that reminded me of the apartments in my beloved Brooklyn. Even though I could not be at home, I wanted somewhere that resembled it.

I touched Lulu's shoulders to take off her leather jacket and she jumped, then whirled around as if on the defense. "Relax; I was just taking your jacket." I reassured.

She loosened up and allowed me to remove the garment from her shoulders so I could hang it up. "Sorry, too much coffee today." Her words came out in a rushed mumble, and I could not help but be amused that I was making her nervous.

Lulu sat in the single armchair, probably because she knew if she sat on the couch I would sit next to her. For some reason she was really jumpy around me tonight. "If I'm making you nervous a glass of wine might help to calm your nerves." I offered.

"I'm not nervous, but I will take the wine." If she wasn't nervous then I wasn't a Yankee fan. We had been in way more intimate situations than this, so I could not figure out what I had done to make her so uneasy. I handed her the glass filled with the deep burgundy liquid which she took gratefully. "Thanks."

Then sat adjacent from her on the couch with my own filled glass, and watched her take a huge gulp of the wine. Ok she really was on edge. "So would you like to eat first, or talk first, or we can talk while we eat." I asked trying to lighten the mood.

"Let's talk." She suggested. Her feet were crossed at the knees just like they had been earlier at Kelly's and I was so tempted to ask her again about Johnny Zacchara, but did not want to come off as jealous so I decided against it.

"Well I was thinking just to keep things as simple and clean as possible we should come up with some rules for this arrangement and put them into a contract we both will sign."

Her face clouded with apprehension and she took another mouthful of the wine. So it was the marriage that was bothering her, not exactly me I concluded studying her body language. "I'm still not sure about this yet, but what rules do you have in mind?"

"Well of course we would stay married for a year and at the end of the year the marriage is annulled and you get your one million dollars."

"And we'd live here?" She asked looking around my apartment with a frown.

Even though I did not know what she was implying, I was beginning to get a little offended. I thought she liked it here. "What's wrong with here?"

"Nothing, but there's only one bedroom. This is not a real marriage so I need my own space."

While I had no problem sharing a bedroom with her, she did have a point about needing her own space so I was willing to do that for her. "I'll work on that." I agreed, then continued with my stipulations. "Also no children."

Lulu swallowed the wine in her mouth quickly, almost choking on it. "Why would you say something like that? Do you think I'm going to get myself pregnant to trap you?" She snapped with an attitude. Clearly I had hit a major nerve and regretted the words as soon as I saw her reaction.

I was not trying to insult her character but there were women out there who did crazy things when money was involved, and if we were being honest I really did not know that much about Lulu. "I don't want to think you're that type of woman but you'd be surprised the number of women in my neighborhood who didn't seem like that type then tried once they found out who my father was."

"Well I've known who your father was since I met you, so if I haven't tried that yet you can rest assured I won't now. Besides I'm not cut out for children." The attitude dissipated and was replaced with a sullen, pensive look. Thinking that I hurt her feelings sent a pang of guilt vibrating through me. What was it about her that made me concerned and wonder so much? This was not like me at all.

"That's a shame; any guy would love to have a little girl with your blonde hair and those gorgeous eyes." I told her genuinely, trying to make her feel better. The complement had its desired effect when her lips curved into a shy smile. Seeing that smile was always a pleasure. Definitely in another lifetime, under different circumstances, Lulu might have been the woman who made me want to come home at night, but for now I just needed her to get my inheritance. "At the risk of sounding like a hypocrite; even if this isn't a real marriage, you can't cheat."

Her eyebrows raised questioningly. "Why not? It's not like we're in love or even in a relationship. I should be allowed to see whomever I want."

The thought of her with someone else - mainly Johnny - irritated me and selfishly this was a way to make sure she was not sleeping with anyone else. If she happened to be sleeping with Johnny at least this would put a stop to it. "When people find out that we're getting married it's going to be a shock. We need to at least make it look real - like we actually want to be together - and it won't look real if you're running around town with Jo…" I stopped myself quickly to correct my minor slip of the tongue. "With someone else."

"Does this rule apply to you as well?" She queried, not picking up on me almost saying Johnny, Thank God, or I never would have lived that down.

"If you want it too… sure." I agreed willingly. Lulu had quite enough moves to keep me satisfied in the bedroom so I had no problem not straying, at least for now.

Lulu shrugged nonchalantly. "Fine, but you may want to rethink that when I tell you my next rule."

"Which is…?"

"We don't have sex."

The room went eerily still and I almost dropped the glass in my hand at the words 'no sex'. "I'm s-s-sorry could you repeat that?" I asked just to make sure I was not hearing things.

"You heard me, no sex. And you can't try talking me into it or seducing me or anything like that because I know how you are."

She had to be kidding me. "Why not? We've already been doing it; I would think being married is all the more reason to."

When I agreed to no cheating it was because I thought we would be sleeping together. As much as I wanted my inheritance, a sexless marriage was not in my game plan. Maybe I needed to re think this marriage thing.

"It's one thing for us to hook up and go our separate ways after, but living in the same house, possibly sleeping in the same bed and sex are too much. You said it's like a business transaction so we need to keep this business-like. If you want me to agree to the marriage we won't be having sex." I groaned out loud and leaned back into the couch running my fingers through my hair in frustration. An entire year without sex while I lived with a woman who I knew first hand that being inside her was as close to sexual heaven as any man could get. Were an island and a few other assets really worth this? "You can feel free to change your mind about the whole no cheating thing, I won't be offended, but it has to work both ways."

She seemed all to happy and willing to get out of that no cheating rule, which made me more suspicious of her and Johnny's connection. The images of the two of them talking first in Jakes, then in Kelly's, and him kissing her on the cheek before he left just seemed too familiar. Something was there and it bothered me not knowing what it was.

My ego was not about to give her the satisfaction of being married to me and sleeping with Johnny Zacchara. I'd rather walk over hot coals barefoot first. "No, its fine, I promise no s-s-s…" I stuttered, not quite believing I was actually going to say this. "No sex, no pressure for the duration of the marriage. But if you change your mind, I would be more than willing to accommodate you." I told her with a wink.

"Not likely." Lulu answered snidely while rolling her eyes. I could not figure out if the attitude was because of my comment or was it because I still agreed to the no cheating rule? For the sake of my piece of mind and to qualm the stabs of jealousy, I chose to believe the former. "Is there anything else?"

"No I'm good. Does this mean we have a deal?" I asked outstretching my hand and feeling like I was about to sell my soul. Maybe I was going to hell for this, but somewhere deep down possibly getting to know Lulu might just make it worth it.

**Lulu's –POV**

This all felt like a deal with the devil, almost as if I were selling my soul; but a million dollars was a lot of money and it was hard for me to walk away from that. Hopefully the no sex thing would make living with Dante a lot easier and reduce the chances of me falling in love with him. In case it didn't, the money would be a good consolation prize. Better to be rich and heartbroken than poor and heartbroken.

"Deal" I agree shaking his hand. Dante caught me off guard by pulling me to him onto the couch, then fusing his lips with mine. My first thought was to push him away but my body had other plans. The kiss started soft, his lips barely brushing mine teasingly, and then grew more intense as his tongue sought entry into my mouth. Needing to stay in control I broke our contact, but my head was already in a thick fog. It took a few seconds for my breathing to calm so that I could actually speak. "What was that for?"

Both my knees were pressing into the couch between his legs, while his arms were around my waist holding me steady in front of him. "Just showing my appreciation for agreeing to this marriage." He said matter-of-factly. That should have been a sign for me to leave while I still had my wits, but my body and head were not in coordination at all tonight.

"A simple thank you would have been fine." I told him trying to make my voice sound like I was not even fazed by his kiss when in fact there was an intense heat slowly creeping from my lips through the rest of me.

"Thank you wouldn't have done enough justice." He flashed that sexy dimpled smile and my stomach did a back flip. It should have been a crime for someone to have such a sexy smile.

I was so entranced that I had no time to react when he gave me one of those barely there kisses again, this time on the spot below my ear that always made me quiver in delight. His grip on my waist loosened so his hands could slowly travel up my blouse. They were warm against my skin yet I shivered unconsciously. "Dante you promised." I reminded him, completely surprised I had even forged the ability to speak.

"I promised AFTER we got married. We're not married yet." He counteracted while turning his attention to unbuttoning my blouse, then kissing the exposed tops of my breasts. Thank God the couch and him were there for support because my legs quickly turned to jelly as Dante kissed and massaged each mound expertly. "Besides, it doesn't have to be sex if you don't want it to be. I just want to make you feel good." His voice seductively assured, making me just about ready to let him do anything he wanted to me. My nipples were prominent beneath his touch and he pushed aside the silky bra cups to trace his tongue around each one. "Doesn't this feel good?" He asked before covering my areola with his warm mouth. Good he asked? Try GREAT!

Without being able to stop myself, a needy moan left my mouth that I did not recognize. Who was this woman who was outwardly moaning and writhing all because of a man's touch? Where had she been all this time?

Getting caught up in Dante was not what I planned. The whole reason for the no sex idea was because I was afraid of falling under his spell, yet here I was in his arms unable to resist the temptation of his body. It had barely been 10 minutes since the agreement and I was already caving. How was I supposed to survive an entire year if I could not last 10 minutes?

His fondling of my breasts finally stopped, leaving me with a mixture of disappointment and relief. The loss of sensation gave me a moment of clarity, and I realized: this was crazy! I needed to get out of here before I wound up naked on the rug because at this rate we were not going to make it to the bed.

Just when I finally regained some control, a whole new evil began determined to take the control away. Dante kissed me again, this time with an intensity that had my heart feeling like it was about to beat right out of my chest. He flipped me onto my back so that his body was now completely pressed against mine almost making us one with the comfy couch.

Resolute to drive me insane with need, his hand went between my legs palming my most intimate place trough my jeans. Goosebumps rose all over my skin as the gesture created an inferno within my core. I was so turned on I would not be surprised if he could feel my desire seeping through the denim and onto his fingers. "We… agreed…" I started to say, trying one last time to stop this madness, but the pull was too strong and my body needed him more that it had ever needed anything else in my life.

I was so much in a daze that if not for the glorious feel of his fingers exploring my heated, saturated folds, I probably would never have realized my pants had been undone and were half way down my legs along with my panties.

"This can be whatever you want it to be Lulu." He assured grazing my ear with his teeth. The sharp nudge on my flesh made me spasm in pleasure. Finally, when his finger slipped inside of me I whimpered like a helpless child and fisted his hair. "Just say the word and I'll stop no matter what."

Stars, stripes, spots, colors, shapes - everything appeared before my eyes all at once. How could he put this all on me when his fingers were inside of me creating a friction that was making me unravel? With just his hands I was coming undone, with no choice left but to move my hips in sync with his stroke.

Giving up the fight, I spread my legs wider and curved one around his waist so that he could go deeper. His thumb alternately circled and flicked my most sensitive spot and I pulled him closer, needing something to keep me grounded while the tension built. Our foreheads touched and he looked me in the eyes as if he had just discovered something new. It always made me self conscious when he looked at me with those soulful brown eyes; almost as if my most inner most being was being exposed to him.

"Do you know you're really beautiful when you come?" He told me grinning, and I could already tell my entire face was turning heated shades of red. Our heads were still touching, and his lips were barely an inch from mine so I could feel his breath when he spoke. "Your eyes start to dilate and you take deeper breaths. Then your skin gets really warm and you kind of start to blush a little especially when I look at you."

"More." I pleaded breathless and desperate, needing the release that seemed so close yet so far way.

"When you're close you bite your lower lip and your hair is fanned around your face that makes you look incredibly cute." Dante pushed another finger in as far as it could go, then brought both fingers out and in repeatedly while his thumb stayed on that bundle of pleasure. My inner walls clenched around his fingers, and I thought I was going to black out when the room was slowly going dim and paralysis was quickly taking over. This was the kind of push-pull, masochistic-sadistic relationship you saw in trashy romance novels, yet I was now living it. "And when you finally lose it your eyes close completely, your lips gape and you make this soft feminine moan that sounds so sexy it makes me want you all over again." Not being able to stand the effects of his actions, his words, and him staring at me with that intense gaze any longer, my back arched off the couch and I held on to him tight, burying my head in the curve of his neck trying to silence the constant moans of my pleasure. "Just like that." He confirmed placing a soft kiss to my shoulder.

I had never had a man talk to me that way before. It was strangely satisfying and even more of a turn on to know that he paid that much attention to me while we were together. All that plus the smoldering looks made the orgasm all the more intense.

Dante's need for me was evident when I felt the bulge in his pants against my stomach. This might have been a good time to get out while I still could; after all I had gotten mine, but the problem was I still wanted him. After all of that my body still had that innate craving for him; to make him moan and shudder the way I did. I convinced myself this would be the last time. One last hoorah to get it out of my system, then for my heart's sake I was going cold turkey.

My fingers hooked through his chains, pulling his head closer. He tried to kiss me and I pulled back smiling devilishly then swiped my tongue against his lower lip before biting playfully. "This is our last time together so you better make it good."

Issuing a challenge like that was like adding fire to warehouse of dynamite, which is exactly what I wanted. Now all I had to do was enjoy the night of explosions. If I had to cut myself off, I was definitely going to go out with a bang.

**Comment Comment Comment good bad or indifferent. **


	5. I'll Be The One That You Remember

**5 – I'll Be The One That You Remember**

**Dante's POV - April 10th, 2012**

Five - the number of times my name fell from her rosy lips pleading with me not to stop.

Four - the number of times her body arched and spasmed when I sent her over the edge, drowning in liquid heat.

Three – the number of scratch marks across my back from her being caught up in the throes of passion.

Two – the number of legs that stayed wrapped around me all night, urging me as deep as I could get inside of her.

One – the number of hours I had been awake watching her sleep and realizing it might have been the most beautifully serene vision I had ever come across.

Lulu was lying on her stomach in a peaceful sleep. Hair half on the pillow half down her back; while her lower back repeatedly rose then fell beneath mauve colored sheets. The rich dark color was draped across her lower half and provided a striking contrast to her light complexion. The faint traces of sunlight from the window illuminated her skin giving it a warm glow and I had to touch it to see if it felt as warm as it looked. It was warm and soft; essentially feminine in every way. I kissed the base of her spine where the sheets began and made a slow trail upwards to the back of her neck. Even on the outside she felt good; how could she always feel so good?

Moving across to her shoulders, I continued tasting her skin. Her body was slowly becoming my drug; the more I kissed the more I wanted; so I climbed on top of her, my knees on either side of her hips keeping my weight off her as I straddled her back. I buried my head into the curve of her neck, taking in the scent of her hair which smelled like vanilla and some flower I could not recognize.

Lulu moaned but never opened her eyes. "Morning beautiful." I whispered hoping to coax her awake so that I could partake in more of my newfound addiction.

"You've been calling me that all night." Her voice greeted, although still laden with sleep.

"Just calling it like I see it." I responded to her observation.

Eyes still closed, her arms outstretched horizontally and I took the opportunity to caress the sides of her breasts. She raised her upper body slightly so that I could fully cup her wonderful anatomy. The memory of the supple yet firm flesh responding favorably to my mouth was still fresh in my mind. Definitely beautiful.

Trying harder to get her fully awake, my teeth nipped and sucked at her neck creating evidence of our liaison. "You know one of the cardinal rules of hooking up is 'never leave marks'. You might be getting the other person in trouble." She warned but with a smile on her face.

"You left marks on my back."

"Those can be covered easier than what you're doing to my neck. And I hate wearing turtlenecks." Her warning oddly sparked a new territorial emotion within me. Women would come and go but I never really cared enough to be concerned with them possibly being with another man, yet the thought of Lulu like this with someone else surged jealously and I bit a little harder determined to leave my mark. Lulu's eyes finally opened in surprise. "Easy Dante, I don't want to look like a leopard."

My tongue swiped over the now blatant red mark on her neck trying to soothe it. I couldn't tell if she was serious about the 'marks getting you in trouble' thing or it was just a joke. The better question was why did I even care? Unfortunately curiosity mixed with a hint of jealousy got the best of me and I asked the question that had been in the back on my mind since that night at Jakes. "Would I be getting you in trouble with someone else? Possibly Johnny Zacchara?"

The muscle in Lulu's shoulders tensed - that was not a good sign – and she rolled onto her back beneath me; perplexity dancing in her eyes. "Where did that come from?"

The upper half of her body was now exposed to me, increasing the craving I had to be inside her again. "Since I've been back I've just seen you two around a few times so I was curious."

Her legs rose cradling me in between those creamy satiny thighs; while her fingertips skimmed my chest, momentarily tracing the tattoo on my left. "Curious or jealous?" She asked with a haughty smirk.

Yes I was a little jealous – ok a lot jealous – but I was not about to admit that to her. Instead I amused myself with touching her body, trying to make it seem like I cared less than I actually did. "Just curious beautiful. From what I've heard violent tendencies run in his family so in case I get knocked over the head in a dark alley at least I'll know why." I traced a line from her belly button to below her breasts. "Not that you aren't worth a trip to the ER because you definitely are." Then circled the curves of each one, making spiral shapes with my finger up to her now hardened nipples.

"Dante." She moaned closing her eyes and sinking her head further into the pillow. I really loved how she said my name. It always sounded so forbidden. "Johnny isn't like that."

I stopped my actions to look at her; her lips now pouting in disappointment at the loss of pleasure. "So you two are close." I concluded as a statement more than a question. Did she give off some kind of freaky pheromone that had the offspring of major crime families wanting to fall at her feet? Wait… did I actually just think fall at her feet? This woman had to be working some kind of dark magic on me because I never had thoughts like these.

"We're friendly."

"Just friendly or friendly like you and me friendly?" I probed, wanting to get more out of her.

"Why are we talking about Johnny when we could be doing much more fun things?" In one quick motion that took me completely off guard, Lulu pushed me off her, onto my back, and straddled my waist, rubbing against me seductively. Overtaken by my lust to consume her I would take the hint to back off for now, but I was definitely going to find out what the deal was with those two.

Holding her still by the hips, I leaned up to kiss the flat surface of her stomach, wishing I could carve my name into her skin to deter any man from touching her. For a split second I wondered what she tasted like. Going down was the one thing I had never done with any woman. I have had it done to me by their choice, and maybe I should have done it back out of courtesy but it just seemed too intimate of an act to do with just any woman. That was something I wanted to do with my future wife (well real future wife) or at least someone who I really loved with wife potential.

I tried to maneuver her hips backward so I could get inside her warmth. "Condom." Lulu reminded me.

Not wanting to take my lips off her, I blindly reached out to the end table for the box. It was within my grasp when we heard the hum of the elevator moving, causing us to freeze.

"Are you expecting someone?" Lulu asked starting to get off me.

"No, hardly anyone knows I live here yet." I answered her, wondering who the hell could be coming up here, and inwardly cursing them for interrupting.

Most of our clothes were strewn around the living room from last night, so all I managed to pull on was my boxer briefs which were closest to the bed. Lulu's clothes were near the couch and I made a dash for them but the elevator door opened before I could toss them to her.

"Hi hon…ney."

A rush of air left my lungs in frustration and embarrassment. I wasn't going to hell; I was already in it.

**Lulu's POV**

I covered myself beneath the sheets watching the interaction between this brunette woman and Dante. Dante looked like he was about to have a coronary, while the woman just raised a questioning eyebrow at him. She seemed vaguely familiar but I could not put my finger on exactly where I had seen her.

Dante sighed loudly. "What are you doing here mom?"

"MOM?" I squeaked at the revelation and she looked past Dante to me who had just turned several shades paler. Oh My God, Oh My God, Oh My God were the only thoughts that kept going through my head. Dante's mother, Dante's Catholic mother had just caught her son with a woman whom he obviously was not married to. OH MY GOD! The ground needed to open up right now and swallow me whole. Pretend engagement or not, this was not the way I envisioned meeting my future mother in law.

"I hadn't heard from you in a while, and when I tried calling you wouldn't answer the phone, so I got worried and came to Port Charles." She explained.

Dante ran his hand through his disheveled hair. "How did you even find me?"

"I called Carly. And why is it that I have to hear from your brothers' mother that you have a new place?"

"I just moved a few days ago Ma and I got side tracked."

She looked at me again with a less than pleased expression. "I can see that."

Thankfully Dante shifted to block her view, and I wanted nothing more than to be a turtle so I could shrink into a shell until this was over. "Ma it's not what you think."

"I'm not judging honey. You're a man now and I know you have needs…"

He held up his hands to stop her; disgust written all over his face. "No mom… God stop please. Lulu is…"

A small smile etched onto her lips clearly amused by my name. "Her name is Lulu? Why am I asking you, the girl is sitting right there?" She pushed past Dante and walked over to the bed in front of me. Although I was embarrassed by the situation I would not sit here and let her make fun of my name. One bad word and I would give her a piece of my mind, even if she was his mother. "Is Lulu your real name?"

I sat up straighter making sure to hold the sheets in place, and looked her dead in the eyes, answering confidently. "Yes, it's short for Lesley Lu."

She extended her hand. "Well nice to meet you Lulu. I'm Olivia."

"Hi Olivia." I shook the hand offered, glad that she did not make fun of my name. Finally finding the courage, I got out of the bed holding the sheets tightly. "I should probably get out of here so you two can talk." Then pointed to the clothes that were bunched up next to Dante on the couch. "Can you pass me those please?" He gave me my clothes and I practically sprinted into the bathroom to get dressed as quickly as possible. So I could eavesdrop while in there, I left a small gap in the door.

I peeked through the gap and saw Olivia folding her arms glaring at Dante. "Well she is pretty. Where did you find her?" The maternal vibe in her coming out and clearly she was not the time of woman to put up with BS.

"Don't say it like that, she's a nice girl." Dante defended me and I was glad to hear him try to paint me in a good light for his mother.

"I'm sure she is. Now do you want to tell me why you've been avoiding my calls? I haven't heard from you since the funeral." That was where I saw her, at Sonny's funeral. She had been sitting next to Dante and hovering close by that day. Sonny had been with a lot of women in his lifetime so it never clicked that she was Dante's mother.

"I just needed time to sort some things out."

I came out of the bathroom fully dressed and just wanted to get the hell out of there as fast as possible. "Nice to meet you Olivia." I told her politely, then gave Dante a sympathetic smile hoping he made it through this conversation in one peace. "We'll talk later."

Freedom was inches within reach when Dante said my name. "Lulu wait." 'Shit' I cursed in my head wishing he had just let me leave. Didn't he realize I did not want to deal with this now? I was not the meet with Mommy type, especially in a situation like this. "Ma there's something I should tell you."

"Dante no." I told him in a fierce warning tone. He could not be crazy enough to do this right now. His mother just walked in on us and he really wanted to tell her about us getting married. If Olivia did not kill him then I certainly would. And attempting to murder her son would not be a good first impression. Dante took my hand to bring me next to him but I held on to the elevator bars refusing to move. "No." I whispered through gritted teeth.

"We might as well tell her now." He tried reasoning, but I was not in agreement. There was a better way to go about this; preferably in public with lots of witnesses.

"Fine but do it without me. Now let me go." I hissed trying to pull my hand away, but he kept a firm grip. He pried my fingers off the elevator bars and even then I kept struggling against him.

Olivia must have got sick of our childish behavior and finally snapped at us. "Will one of you tell me what's going on?"

"Lulu and I are getting married." Dante blurted out.

I threw my hand in the air at his downright stupidity. There were no words to describe the intense desire I had to smack him upside the head, but Olivia probably would not think highly of that.

Olivia fell into the couch as if she had the wind knock out of her. Although I did not have children, I imagined hearing that your only son was getting married to a woman you had never met would have been a shock. "Are you pregnant?" She asked me.

"No!" I shouted immediately, almost offended. What was with these Falconari's and me being pregnant? Did I look like the type of woman who would get knocked up then automatically feel the need to marry the man?

Not quite convinced she questioned again. "Are you sure?"

"Very very sure." I told her hoping to put her at ease.

Confusion spread across her face, and I could almost see her trying to deduce what would drive her only son to marry who she deemed a virtual stranger. "Then why would you get married?" Disappointment was heavy in her voice as she looked to Dante for an explanation, and I felt sorry that she seemed so hurt by him blind sighting her.

Dante gulped loudly, trying to swallow the lump of guilt that appeared to be stuck in his throat. He should have felt guilty for doing that to his own mother. "Tell your mom why we're getting married Dante." I goaded, joining his mother with an inquisitive stare. If he was going to subject me to this, there was no way I would make it easy for him. Payback is a bitch.

**Tell me what you think**


	6. Good News Travels Fast

**6 – Good News Travels Fast**

**Dante's POV**

Two pairs of eyes stayed glued to me, making me more and more uncomfortable. One set matched mine but were filled with confusion, while the other set flickered brightly with amusement. Maybe I had gone about this wrong.

"Ma I need to be with Lulu right now." I said earnestly, not wanting to explain the details of our situation. If my mother found out that I was basically marrying for money, money which I technically did not need because of my trust fund, she would have been totally against it and would do everything in her power to stop it. So I had to at least make it seem like this engagement was for real.

She folded her arms giving me that disappointed look whenever I was in trouble. It made me feel like a kid again who was about to get scolded and grounded for some kind of infraction. "I've never heard you mention her name once. Why now all of a sudden? The son I raised would never deceive a woman by pretending to be in love with her, or lie to his own mother."

"Olivia, in Dante's defense he isn't deceiving me. I know how he feels about me." Lulu interrupted coming to my defense. It was nice to see that she at least cared enough to defend me.

My mother ignored Lulu as if she were not even in the room, and continued with her tirade. "Honey, you and your dad were close and I know you miss him, but filling that void with a marriage is not the way to go. Why don't you take up a hobby or get a puppy; you always wanted a puppy."

The puppy would have been a lot less of a headache than this situation was turning out to be. "I don't need a hobby or a puppy." I wrapped my arm around Lulu, pulling her closer to me. "Lulu is all I need."

Lulu's gaze fell to the ground, and I could tell this was making her uncomfortable, but I had to sell the 'we were in love' story for all it was worth.

"You have lost your freakin' mind!" My mother yelled at me, then pointed a finger at Lulu. "And you; I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." In an expected rage, she grabbed her purse and got on the elevator, slamming the bars shut. I hit the down button for the elevator, and sighed watching my mother's angry visage disappear. I hated when she was mad at me, but for now I had to do what needed to be done.

I turned around to meet another angry face. Trying to use my natural charisma to charm my way back into Lulu's good graces, I flashed a dimpled smile knowing very few women had been able to refuse my dimples. "How mad are you right now?"

Purse in hand, her glare never faltered. "I need to get home."

She tried to step around me but my hands found her hips to stop her exit. "Hold on a second beautiful." I did not want her to leave here angry. If she was angry that meant her mind could change; so for all selfish intents and purposes Lulu needed to be happy or at least calm. "I know that was a little awkward but I think it went pretty well considering the situation."

"Well?" Lulu shouted pushing my hands off her. That caught me off guard and was done with such a force that I stumbled backwards a little. "You think that went well? Your mother just walked in on us and then you told her we were engaged. Not only is she pissed about it, but she hates me."

"She doesn't hate you. She's just in shock. Once my Ma calms down and accepts that we're getting married, she'll get to know you and love you." I tried to appease her, but my words seemed to have had the opposite effect when the color drained from her skin.

"Dante this was supposed to be a simple agreement: I marry you for a year, you get your inheritance and I get my money. I didn't sign up to meet you mother and become the model daughter in law."

"No one is asking you to be the model daughter in law. Trust me once my mom calms down the two of you are going to get along great."

She shook her head defiantly not wanting to hear anything else. "I got to go."

"Lulu." I tried to talk some more but she got on the elevator without answering. Not wanting to piss her off further I gave up on the persuasion and pushed the button for her to go down.

Just when I thought I was understanding Lulu more and getting through to her, she threw me for another loop. When I told her my mother would love her, she seemed almost hurt by the notion rather than happy. I did not get it. Weren't most women happy when their mother in laws liked them? I tried not to stress myself thinking about it. Hopefully once all the heightened emotions calmed everything would get back on schedule and we could get this marriage over with.

**Carly's House**

"I don't know why I had a kid with Sorry Corinthos. I should have kept my damn legs closed." Olivia shouted in her thick New York accent, walking through Carly's foyer. She spent the drive from Dante's to Carly's so pissed she could spit fire that her only son was going to marry a women he had never even had the courtesy to introduce to his family. This was not this son she raised. This was the Corinthos blood she had fought so hard for 27 years to override, but Dante's paternal heritage held strong.

"You found Dante." Carly guessed, shutting the door behind her obviously angry friend.

Olivia being the first member of the 'I Had a Kid with Sonny Corinthos Club', Carly surprisingly managed to get along with the sassy brunette over the years, much better than she did with Alexis. They had bonded on their mission to make sure their sons did not suffer the consequences of being Sonny Corinthos' child. "I found him alright. My son wasn't answering my calls because he was held up under some woman. I walked in on the two of them by accident."

It was pretty early in the day but Carly poured a drink for her, thinking it was very justified. "That must have been awkward." There were some things a parent should never see their child do and sex was definitely one of them.

Olivia took the glass gratefully and downed half in one gulp. "You haven't heard the funniest part. He says their getting married." She yelled getting angrier at just the thought. She had no problem with Dante getting married; in fact she wanted nothing more than for him to find a good woman he could be happy with and spend the rest of his life with. The problem was ever fiber of her maternal instinct was telling her that Dante did not love this girl. They were obviously sleeping together but he did not act like a man in love. In lust - definitely. In like - probably. In love - no way.

Carly's perfectly arched eyebrow raised skeptically. "Dante? Married? He's like Sonny's clone when it comes to women. What woman managed to pull that off?"

"Some Lala or Lalu; I don't remember but it was something with an L." Olivia said rolling her eyes. What kind of name was that anyway?

"You don't mean Lulu?" Carly guessed, knowing that her cousin and Dante were friendly.

Olivia shook her head finishing the remnants of her drink. "Yeah that was it. You know her?"

"Yeah she's my cousin and Josslyn's godmother. I know that she and Dante were together a lot whenever he was in town but I didn't think it was serious enough that they were considering marriage. Are you sure it was Lulu?" Carly asked finding the news very farfetched. Lulu had been hurt by her last relationship and marriage was the furthest thing from her mind. For her to be engaged so suddenly was not normal behavior.

Some sort of relief washed over Olivia knowing that this Lulu woman was not a complete stranger. At least she and Dante were friends or dating, but marriage was still a big step; one which Dante was nowhere near ready for. "I think so. She's pretty, early to mid 20's, about my height, long blonde hair, and bright amber eyes."

"That sounds like Lulu, but she and I are pretty close she would tell me if she were engaged especially to Dante." Carly shook her head in disbelief. There had to be more to this story. Lulu would never just get engaged out of the blue without good reason. "This all sounds too strange. I'm going to get to the bottom of this. Can you watch Josslyn for me till I get back; Jax is out with Morgan."

"Sure no problem." Olivia agreed seeing that familiar curious spark in Carly's eye. She was going on an investigative mission, and if anyone had a talent for digging up dirt it was Carly. Olivia wished her nothing but luck because she needed answers as to what had gotten into her son.

**Lulu's POV**

Could this day get any worse? I could handle Dante's mother not liking me. In fact that would make things easier and keep me more detached from the situation while I endured the marriage. But hearing Dante say that she and I would actually get along great sent me into a panic. If Dante's mother actually liked me, and God forbid we even became friends; that would pull me in even closer and heighten the feelings I had for him. Getting closer to his family meant forming more connections and attachments to him; all of which would be ripped away when the marriage was annulled. My goal to come out of the arrangement at the end of the year with as few battle scars as possible, but the universe seemed to want to make my heart collateral damage.

I entered my shared apartment and found Maxie sitting on out couch with Johnny, he legs outstretched in his lap. "Lulu." She exclaimed then dropped her feet on the floor immediately. They both looked at me apprehensively at what could quickly turn into a more uncomfortable situation. We had not quite figured out what was proper boyfriend etiquette since the new boyfriend was the best friend's old boyfriend. Honestly I could not have cared less. I had my own problems to worry about so whatever they did was their business and none of mine.

I was about to close the door when a hand on the other side pushed against it and stopped me. "Just the person I was looking for." Carly announced walking into the apartment in dramatic fashion. She lifted my left hand and turned it forwards and backwards inspecting it. I was at a total loss as to what she was doing and pulled my hand away. "I see no ring so you and Dante getting engaged is just a misunderstanding right?"

"Engaged! You're getting married?... to Dante?" Maxie shouted in surprise.

I was just as surprised by Carly's revelation and whirled around to face her, wondering how she had found out. "Where did you hear that?"

"Olivia. She came over to my house livid that Dante just decided to get engaged out of nowhere." Carly told me.

I put my head in my hands and groaned. Damn Dante and his big mouth for starting this chain reaction. This was not the way I wanted people to find out; in fact there were only a few people I planned to tell after we had actually gotten married. Now that more and more people were finding out I was going to have to explain the engagement sooner than later.

"So it is true." Carly concluded seeing my reaction. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Forget Carly, Why didn't you tell me? I'm your best friend. When I had my non engagement to Spinelli you were the first person I told. Is this about Johnny, are you mad at me?" Maxie whined sounding seriously hurt that I had left her out of the loop.

This was all quickly getting out of hand and giving me a headache. "Maxie I'm not mad at you. I'm fine with you and Johnny." I assured genuinely, hoping that she believed me. "This happened last night, that's why I haven't told anyone."

"This is probably a conversation I don't need to be a part of." Johnny interrupted excusing himself from the encounter. "Congratulations Lulu." He told me and proceeded to make a swift exit. I wished I could follow his lead and get out of here to avoid the bout of questions that were about to ensue from the two women who were hungry for information.

Once Johnny was gone they continued to grill me. "So what's up with you and Dante? I didn't know it was that serious?" Maxie inquired further.

"It's complicated but all can say is Dante needs me right now so I want to be there for him." I responded trying to give as little details as possible. There was no way I would admit that I was being paid to marry Dante. That made me sound like an expensive call girl.

"That sounds like something I would say when I was covering for Sonny." Carly remarked. "Is Dante in trouble? Is that why you're marrying him?" She asked not taking my explanation at face value. I swear Carly and Maxie were like leaches when it came to gossip; they would not rest until they sucked the life out of you.

"No one is in trouble. I'm marrying Dante because I want to." I lied. As if on cue my cell phone rang and sure enough Dante's name flashed across the screen. I rejected the call, not in the mood to talk to him just yet. All I wanted was some peace to think through everything and for my life to go back to normal. Was that really too much to ask?

**That Night - Dante's POV**

I had no idea what I was doing here or why I even cared that she was upset, but I did. My reasons for wanting her happy started as purely selfish, but my conscience kicked in to the point that thinking of Lulu unhappy because of something I said or did bothered me enough that I had been calling her ever since she left my apartment. When my calls went unanswered I found myself heading to her place. Sure this was a marriage or convenience but that did not mean I wanted her to be unhappy, especially because of me. Lulu was a good person and she deserved to have a good life.

I knocked on the door and a few seconds later Lulu answered, less than pleased to find me on the other side. "What are you doing here?" She grumbled, not hiding her annoyance.

"You wouldn't answer my calls so I came to you." I answered trying to lighten the mood.

For a moment I got lost in her attire of grey sweatpants that hung low on her hips and a pink tank top which hugged the curves of her upper body perfectly. Her hair was in a messy twist being held in place by a large clip, and she was barefoot. The entire ensemble portrayed a girlish cuteness that was just as attractive as the striking woman I was used to in heels and chic clothing.

Lulu tapped her nails impatiently against the wooden door. "For a guy with such a big head you sure are dense. Can't you tell when someone is avoiding you?"

Deciding not to take her words as an insult, I smiled widely and shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm hard headed like that, just ask my Ma."

My comment did not even earn me the slightest smirk. Instead Lulu started closing the door. "I don't want to talk to you right now." But I stuck my hand out to stop it.

We were doing so well at my apartment so there was no way I was leaving until she told me why her mood had turned all of a sudden. "Well I'm not leaving until you do."

Fortunately I was much stronger than she was and my hand easily kept the door from closing. "Move!" She shouted, trying hopelessly to shut me out literally and figuratively, but neither me nor the door budged an inch.

"Not until you tell me what's bothering you. I know we don't really have deep conversations but I'm trying to get to know you and I can't do that unless you open up. Please?" I asked kindly, imploring her to talk to me. All I wanted to do was help, couldn't she see that?

Heavy hearted, Lulu moved out of the way to let me enter the apartment. I'd been here a few times in my travels back and forth, and the place had not changed much since. The apartment epitomized its inhabitants: light catching colors, modish furniture and a warm welcoming feel.

Lulu was not in the best of moods so I made a mental note not to push any unnecessary buttons. The last thing I needed was to make her more upset than she already was so I waited patiently for her to say what was on her mind.

She leaned against the sofa arm, absentmindedly fiddling with a stray piece of thread from her sweat pants, and not looking me in the face while she spoke. "I don't want to get to know your mom or anyone else in your family. In fact I would rather she hate me." Lulu confessed. I stared at her as if she were speaking in another language – utterly confused – but waited for her to further explain herself before I passed any judgments. "If I start forming attachments to your family imagine what's going to happen when we separate. All the questions; and I wouldn't want them to hate me or distrust me after they let me into their family. It's not fair to them."

"I get what you're saying and thank you for being considerate, but I don't want my mom to hate you or think badly of you because you're a nice person Lulu. You're the type of woman my family wanted me to bring home. If I didn't think you deserved better I would probably date you for real." I admitted, and as soon as the words left my mouth I wanted to take them back. I had no idea where that came from or why I would even say something like that.

She looked my way seemingly as shocked as I was by my confession. "You would?"

"Uhhhh…yeah sure." I stuttered slightly, trying to play off the comment. I did not want her to get the wrong idea about where I was going with this. As far as I was concerned the friends with benefits rules still applied "You're smokin' hot and sexy as hell, what man wouldn't want you? And don't worry about getting too close to my family. You and I are going into this marriage as friends and I hope we walk away as friends. There is no reason my friend shouldn't be close with my family."

Lulu shrugged slowly, my explanation seeming to register with her. "When you put it that way I guess it's okay."

"See how easy that was? You tell me what's wrong, we talk about it and problem solved. This marriage thing will be a piece of cake." I took her by the hand, pulling her to her feet and into my arms so that she was against me. "Now I think this is the part we have the really great make up sex."

"Keep dreaming Falconari." She smiled and took my hands off her, or at least tried to, but I was not letting go that easily.

It was still a mystery to me what made me want her so much. I was usually bored by now and on to the next one but Lulu was proving to be not easily forgotten. I turned her around so that her back was against my chest, then kissed the back her neck and ran my fingertips lightly across the smooth skin there. "Come on beautiful. You said no sex AFTER we got married. We're not married yet so what's the harm in enjoying each other's company?" Tiny goose bumps rose on the spot where I touched and she melted further against me. I could really get used to holding her like this.

"The harm is it will be harder to stop if we keep doing it. It's better to stop now."

My hands fell to her waist again, this time moving up beneath her tank top to caress her stomach. Just the feel of her skin brought back memories of the night before and I inwardly cursed myself for agreeing to no sex. "I'm willing to take that chance." I whispered kissing the still red mark on her neck from earlier.

Her arms covered mine stopping the journey I was trying to make to her amazing breasts. "Dante stop." She pleaded pushing my hands more forcefully away.

I got the hint and stopped trying to feel her up, but still held her enclosed in my arms. "I won't push, but if you change your mind my bed is always welcome." I offered with a suggestive grin hoping she would change her mind. As much as I wanted to get to that sweet spot between her legs, I would never force myself on her or any woman; no was always no.

Lulu finally removed herself from my hold and opened the door, leaning against it waiting for me to leave. "Goodbye Dante." She said with that same teasing smile and I knew she was enjoying the situation despite her protests. As much as Lulu tried to fight the attraction, it had been there from the start for both of us and had surprisingly yet to wane.

"Bye beautiful." I told her then kissed her on the cheek softly before leaving. An unmistakable blush highlighted her cheeks and I couldn't help but admire the simple beauty she possessed. It was easy to find a pretty woman. They swarmed the bars and clubs in tight dresses, extravagant hairdos and layers of makeup. But strip those same women of all the makeup and accessories then you would probably find a handful who were truly beautiful. I had lucked out with Lulu; she was one of the beautiful ones.

**Comment Comment Comment**


	7. If You Like It Put A Ring On It

**7 – If You Like It Then You Should Put a Ring on It**

**Lulu's POV – April 12th, 2012**

My fingers tapped apprehensively against the chair's arm rest while I stared straight ahead through the large bay window in the waiting area. The day had been dreary just like my mood, with huge grey storm clouds looming threateningly over the city, unleashing its fury in thunder, lightning and torrential downpours. The weather seemed like a sign; the universe's last attempt at convincing me that I was making a huge mistake.

Dante took my hand that was repeatedly moving and held it firmly in his. The unexpected gesture brought me back from my wayward thoughts and I glanced down at our connected hands. What was he doing? Why was he holding my hand? The contact did nothing but speed up my already racing pulse. At this rate I would have a heart attack before this was over. He leaned into me whispering in my ear. "Relax, everything is gonna be fine."

"I know." I replied not really believing his or my words, but God he smelled good was all I could think when he tried to reassure me. There was no hint of cologne, just soap and a naturally distinct smell that was Dante. It made me want to do things that I had sworn to give up for the next 365 days. God help me.

"Then how come you look like you're about to be sick?"

_Maybe because I felt like I was about to be sick._ I thought to myself.

"Dante Falconari and Lulu Spencer." A woman called saving me from backing out.

Dante stood up pulling me to my feet in the process. He was still holding my hand I realized as he practically dragged me along with him. We were escorted into a room with dark hardwood floors, deep red walls, statutes and pictures of past figures who I assumed were crucial to the judicial system. The room reeked of standards, morals and tradition; a total contradiction to Dante's and mines immoral and untraditional marriage.

We had decided to get married as soon as possible. The quicker this marriage of convenience began, the quicker the year would be over, so we got a marriage license and drove to the courthouse to officially become husband and wife. Dante had suggested Vegas just to make things fun, but I wanted no fond memories of our wedding day or anything that would make me unnecessarily attached to him more than I was about to be, so we kept it as simple as possible. We weren't even dressed up for the occasion; in fact we were both wearing black. I guess we were subconsciously mourning the loss of our sanity and our sex lives for actually going through with this.

The woman who had led us in served as a witness, while the judge, an older man with more grey hair than dark, stood before us ready to unite us in holy matrimony. Marriage was such a fickle thing that I really did not see the point of it anymore. Dozens of couples must have stood in this very spot pledging their undying love for each other, only to wind up divorced later. Even my parents whom I thought had a love story that was legendary and could withstand anything, had succumbed to being another addition to the ever growing divorce statistic.

"Are you ready to begin?"

"Yes." Dante answered politely. "Could we skip the extra stuff and just get to the vows?"

"Of course." The judge agreed. He must have thought we were one of those in love couples who were in a hurry to start their lives together. Little did he know we were counting down the days to our divorce – well technically annulment.

Dante was still holding my hand and I was getting a little too used to us being this connected. Every instinct that was trying to ensure self preservation was telling me to get out of this. Run and keep on running until I was as far away from Dante Falconari as I could get. But the sliver of greed that had been infused in my DNA from Luke Spencer kept me agreeing to the wishes of a dead man who I had thought of as an honorary uncle all my life.

"Do you Dante Angelo Falconari take Lesley-Lu Spencer to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and to hold, to love, honor and cherish, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?"

Dante looked at me smiling, traces those adorable dimples forming in his cheeks. I formed some semblance of a smile back but my face felt paralyzed. I was just going through the motions and pretending to be okay with this when all I wanted to do was run screaming in the opposite direction. "I…"

His response was cut short when we heard yelling coming from beyond the closed doors. "You better get your hands off me before I have every single one ah you arrested for assault. Now get outta my way." No sooner than the words were spoken Olivia came barging through the door in a fury that the devil himself would have been skeptical to test. Carly was close behind looking just as displeased. "There is no way in hell my son is getting married in a courthouse."

"Ma." Dante seethed through gritted teeth, embarrassment evident on his face as he tried to subdue his mother who was yelling at him in a mixture of Italian and English.

Olivia finally calmed down and began speaking in full English. "Don't you Ma me Dante Angelo Falconari. You were raised better than this. A marriage ceremony is supposed to be in a church with your friends and family, and blessed by a priest. You know better."

"Dante and I didn't want this to be a big deal." I told Olivia, but she was not hearing it. As far as she was concerned we were forsaking tradition that she had probably instilled in Dante the moment he could talk.

"That doesn't mean you run off and get married like this is some dirty secret. Don't you think your family and friends would want to see you get married? I know I would." Carly agreed. I at least expected her to understand the spontaneity of our decision. Since when was she all about tradition? I recalled quite a few times Carly married Sonny just so she could not testify against him in court.

"Excuse me but is there going to be a ceremony today, because if not there are other people waiting to be married." The judge asked us impatiently and the four of us glared angrily at his interruption.

"Yes!" Dante and I said in unison.

"No!" Carly and Olivia countered.

The judge and the witness's eyes darted nervously between the four of us not knowing what to do. They must have thought we needed to be on an episode of Dr. Phil because clearly we had issues.

"Dante, honey, what would Nona think if she found out you got married and she wasn't there to see it. You'd probably send her to an early grave." Olivia pleaded, appealing to her son's overwhelming sentiment towards his family. "Would you do that to your Nona, the woman who helped take care of you from the day you were born?" Well I had to give Olivia credit, she was better at manipulation than I would have thought. With her as a mother and Sonny as a father no wonder Dante had the ability to make me do and say things I had never imagined. Manipulation was in his blood.

Dante's resolve was breaking and he pulled me aside so that we were out of everyone else's earshot. I saw the smile, and the dimples forming in his cheeks; a sure sign that he was going to try to sweet talk me into something. I shook my head adamantly, glowering blatantly because I knew what was going to come next. "No… No way. Its either we get married now or not at all."

"Come on be reasonable Lulu."

My mouth opened in astonishment. After all I was doing he was seriously insinuating I was unreasonable. Ungrateful bastard! "I'm marrying a man whom I don't love and who doesn't love me. How much more reasonable to you want me to be?" I asked him through gritted teeth, livid that he actually asked me to be reasonable and even more upset that he would tell him mom we were getting married today. Olivia was less than thrilled when she found out, it should have occurred to him she would try to stop the union. "Why did you even tell her we were getting married today anyway?"

He shook his head in deniability. "I didn't. I thought you told Carly."

"No, I only told…" The realization dawned on me as to how the secret came out. My so called best friend who had a serious problem with keeping her mouth shut. "Maxie." I was going to kill her for opening her big mouth as soon as I could get my hands on her.

"Can you please, please, please find it in that beautiful heart of yours to have a wedding in a church? It would mean a lot to my mother and Nona."

What about what would mean a lot to me. Even though I was being compensated for my time, I was sacrificing a lot for Dante to get his money, shouldn't what I want matter too?

Dante kept pleading with me giving me a pitiful but so damn cute expression, and as usual I was a goner to his charm and gave in. "Fine." I relented. It was not worth the fight anymore and I did not want to be responsible for his Nona throwing a fit at us for daring to get married in a courthouse. My eyes rolled at the absurdity of this situation. "But it has to happen by Saturday. After that I'm done." I told him firmly and this time I was serious. No amount of dimpled smiles and sexy looks would get me to change my mind.

"Thank You." Dante said hugging me. He held my hand again and we went back over to his mother and Carly. Although I knew it was just for show, all I could focus on was that yet again his hand was in mine. A gesture that was as comforting as it was disconcerting. "Lulu and I decided that we would get married in a church but it has to happen by this Saturday."

"That's four days away. You can't expect us to plan a wedding in 4 days." Olivia said outraged at our decision, and I waited patiently for her to try to manipulate Dante into changing his mind again. He could plead all he wanted but I was not going to budge. Saturday or nothing.

"Then we get married now. It's one or the other, your choice." Dante told her standing firm, and I smiled satisfied that we were in agreement on this, almost like a real couple.

Both women looked and each over, probably trying to think of another way they could manipulate us into seeing things their way, but they were out of ideas on such short notice. "We'll take Saturday." Carly agreed begrudgingly.

Dante and I smiled triumphantly. It was not the wedding we wanted exactly but they had agreed to our terms so at least things were moving in our favor. Thankfully Saturday was four days away so they could not plan too much of an extravagant affair in such a short period of time.

**Dante's POV – April 13th, 2012**

I had received a call from my mother telling me to come to the Metro Court so that Lulu and I could choose a cake for the wedding. My first response was they could choose whatever cake they wanted since I did not really care for a traditional wedding anyway, but that only set my mother off on a tirade about this being one of the biggest days of my life, I should take more interest and blah, blah, blah. So for the sake of argument and my sanity I left what I was doing at the coffee warehouse to go taste wedding cakes.

When I walked into the hotel I already saw my mother and Carly sitting in the lobby deep in conversation probably planning every detail of this wedding down to the last second. As I made my way toward them I ran straight into someone who seemed to be in a hurry to make a getaway. I looked up and saw my wife to be. "Lu..." I started to say but she shook her head side to side frantically and made a mad dash around the corner towards the restrooms. I followed her wondering what was with her odd behavior.

Lulu pulled me into the alcove, receding further into the dimly lit corner. Completely confused at her actions I tried to ask her a question but she immediately clasped her hand over my mouth to stop me. "Shut up!" She ordered through gritted teeth, looking nervously over her shoulder like a fugitive.

With us being in such a confined space I took the opportunity lock my arms around her lower back and bring her closer to me. "I always did like an aggressive woman." I teased and she smacked me across the shoulder trying to keep a straight face. "Who or what are we hiding from anyway?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed loudly as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders. "Your mother and Carly. I had to tell them I was going to the bathroom just to try to sneak away. Even Kate is in on the planning. And newsflash Kate, Carly and Olivia do not get along well. They can't agree on anything."

"Shouldn't you be making the decisions? You're the bride." I stated obviously, although I was not really sure how all of this wedding planning worked when it came to women. I had seen shows on TV about women turning into bridezillas when they could not get exactly what they wanted

"You would think so wouldn't you; but they fight so much I can't get a word in. The only person who kind of listens is Maxie which is just weird."

I felt bad that she was going through this mostly because of me. If we had just gotten married in the courthouse the way we had planned, none of this would be an issue. Lulu really was annoyed and frustrated so I decided to make it my personal responsibility to put her back into a good mood. "Come on I know the perfect thing to make you forget your problems."

We cautiously left our hiding place, trying to make a swift, unnoticeable exit but our marks had caught us. "Dante, Lulu over here." My mother's voice called from across the room.

Lulu stopped and muttered a curse, about to give into her oppressors, but I was not about to give up just yet. Instead of stopping with her, I grabbed her hand. "Run." I told her.

A gleaming smile shone on her face like she lived for things like hurried getaways and adventure; and we took off out of the hotel like two kids up to no good.

"Oh My God." Lulu decreed with a sigh of contentment. Her tongue darted across her lips as her eyes closed slowly in simple pleasure. "That was…" She shook her head trying to think for a minute and came up with nothing. "I have no words for what that was."

I could not help but smile at the after effects of our afternoon on the run. She looked happier than I had seen her in a while, which made me feel better. "It was great wasn't it?"

The tip of her red polished finger disappeared between her lips, making her sigh once again. Hearing her react like that made me think of a time when I was the one making her moan and sigh in ecstasy. "Try amazing and you were right this is exactly what I needed. In fact it might just be the best thing in the world; even better than sex."

"Hey!" I bit back, offended that I was being outdone by chocolate and some icing. There was no way that a cupcake could be better than sex, at least sex with me. We had been good together physically from that first night and things had not changed since.

I had taken Lulu to a bakery/cafe just on the outskirts of town. They made cakes, pies, pastries and other deserts that were not only pleasing to the eyes but perfectly delicious. Everything about these deserts seemed so carefully crafted and blended to create a unique taste that you could never have just one of anything. I had grown up in Brooklyn around a large family of boisterous Italian men and women, so if there were two things I knew first hand were good food and the Yankees.

Lulu finished her third cupcake, then leaned back into the chair comfortably. "If I could eat enough of these cupcakes to give me an orgasm, I don't think I would ever need a man again."

My eyes narrowed to slits at her comment. "I can call my mother and tell her where you are, remember that." I threatened although I would never do it.

Lulu leaned across the table and my eyes immediately drifted over her neck and down her blouse. "And I can choose not to marry you, remember that." She counteracted hotly, her voice lowering to a seductive whisper. That shut me up immediately. "Point taken."

She really was hot when she got cross. It made verbally sparring with her so worth it just to see that sexy spark and attitude when her temper flared. I had never met a woman who had possessed such a knack for tantalizing me with the simplest changes in tone and gestures. An extremely talented vixen, and I wasn't sure she realized it.

Deciding to keep with the change in conversation I brought up the topic of her wedding ring. "So I meant to ask you when do you want to go get your ring?"

"I thought you had the ring already."

"Yeah but that was plain gold. You've practically turned your life upside down for me; the least I can do is get you a nice ring even if it is just for show. We can go to the jewelers tomorrow to pick out something nicer." I suggested.

"Ok." She responded indifferently, then picked up her latte to finish it. An awkward silence developed between us, which was the last thing I had intended to happen. I did not mean to make her uncomfortable; I just thought she should have a nice ring. Whatever she chose to do with it after the marriage was up to her; it wasn't like I would ask for it back. "I should get home before Maxie sends out guard dogs for me." Lulu finally said breaking the silence and getting out of the chair.

"You don't have to go home if you don't want to." I told her. Her eyebrows immediately rose questioningly and I realized how my offer might have sounded like a come on, so I tried to clean it up so she did not get the wrong impression. "What I meant was I know how much they're driving you crazy with the wedding, so if you want to hide out at my place at least for tonight, you're welcome to." I offered sincerely. It was not a ploy to get her into bed or try to change her mind about our agreement. I honestly felt bad that my mother was driving her crazy all because of a wedding that was for convenience anyway, and wanted her to have a refuge.

"Thanks for the offer but I have plans tonight. Besides we probably should enjoy the time left we have apart since we're going to be living together soon." Lulu pointed out. It was definitely going to be hell living in the same house with her for the next year and not being able to be with her.

I got up to help her with her jacket and was captivated by the alluring scent of her skin and clothes. I could never put a finger on what she smelled like but it was a cross between something floral and fruity. "Tired of me already?" I asked turning her around to zip up the leather jacket that fit like it was made especially for her. I wondered how she would look dressed in all leather, like a cat suit. Her body had so much untapped potential, if only I had not agreed to us not having sex.

"Not yet. You're actually a decent guy when you're not trying to get into my pants." Making no further comments I simply smiled at her backward complement. Little did she know the dirty thoughts that were running though my head at that very moment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
**April 14th – Lulu's POV**

After indulging in those sinfully delicious cupcakes last night, I went to see my family so I could finally break the news of my so called engagement. My father being the non-judgmental person he was simply congratulated me and told me to be careful. Nikolas, Lucky, Ethan and Tracy were not as forthcoming and tried everything they could to talk me out of it. Their biggest argument was that Dante was Sonny's son and he would hurt me just like Sonny had hurt all of the women he had ever been with. Little did they know I was entering into this marriage with my eyes wide open and all the cards were on the table. Overall it was no worse than I had expected.

I had also called my mom in Paris and she offered to come home for the ceremony, but I did not want her near any of this since the marriage was fake. Whenever I found the real love of my life, I wanted everyone who I cared about to be part of that special day. In the mean time all I could hope for was to get the next year over with as soon as possible.

I walked into Crimson, seeing Maxie typing feverously away at her computer. I wound up being late since I stopped by the bakery again before coming to work to pick up a half dozen of the cupcakes. "Good morning." I greeted her then placed a cupcake on her desk next to a large bouquet of colorful flowers.

"Someone's in a good mood." She commented, never taking her eyes and fingers away from the computer.

"Have a bite of that cupcake and I guarantee you'll be in one too." I told her, sitting at my desk and booting my computer. "By the way can you cover for me for a while, Dante and I are going to pick out a ring."

Maxie swiveled her chair towards me intrigued. Trust jewelry to get her attention. "Ohhh make sure you get a big diamond, but nothing tacky or gaudy. Preferably set in platinum or white gold, and maybe something with some color. Colored diamonds are all the rage; plus you know he can afford it so go wild." She advised talking a mile a minute.

All I could do was laugh at all of her suggestions. While I knew she meant well, I did not want any huge diamonds or expensive settings. This was all for show and the last thing I wanted was for Dante to be spending an exorbitant amount on a ring that held no symbolism for either one of us. "I don't want him spending too much on me. I would have been fine with a plain gold band but he insisted on something else."

"Has nothing from me rubbed off on you?" Maxie bit into the cupcake and after a few chews I heard the same blissful sigh I uttered last night leave her mouth. "Oh…My… God!" She annunciated one syllable at a time. "Where did you get this? It's like heaven, but in a cupcake." Maxie finished the cupcake and snatched another from the box. I had anticipated that would have been her reaction; hence I bought 6 of them.

The calories we were inducing must have been off the charts, but neither of us cared because they were that good. "Dante took me to this little bakery just outside of town. They've got all kinds of deserts that look like they should be illegal." Just remembering the sweet smell of the bakery awakened my sweet tooth and made my mouth water. I was determined to try every cake and desert in there one slice at a time.

"We have to get this cake for your wedding."

The thought had crossed my mind as well but Saturday was 2 days away it probably was not enough time to have them make a cake, especially a cake for the size of wedding Carly and Olivia were planning. "Don't you think it's too short notice?"

"Your fiancé is loaded. I'm sure if we come up with the right price, they'll be happy to make it for you. Just tell me the name of the place and leave the rest to me." Maxie instructed reaching across for yet another cupcake. In the process she accidentally knocked over the vase with her flowers, sending the water pooling onto her desk and dripping on the floor. "Damn it!" She snapped working quickly to salvage as many of the documents and files before they got wet. She placed the bouquet and her files on my desk while I left to get some paper towels to clean up the mess.

**Dante's POV**

I stepped off the elevator into Crimson's office to pick up Lulu so we could go get her a ring, but she was nowhere in sight. Instead I saw another petite blonde. "Hi." I adressed her politely. When she turned around, I realized this was Lulu's roommate and friend. The last time I saw her her hair was much shorter in a pixie cut, but it had grown out a little and was now surrounding her face in wavy curls. She always reminded me of Tinkerbelle, all she needed was wings and a wand. "You're Lulu's friend Maxie right."

Maxie looked me up and down blatantly. "And you're Sonny's son who is supposedly in love with Lulu all of a sudden." She said making no attempt to hide the disdain in her voice. So I guess she was not a fan of mine for whatever reason, but she was Lulu's best friend so I figured it was in my better judgment to be nice.

I flashed my best smile, hoping to win her over with my wonderful charm. "My friends usually just call me Dante."

"We're not friends." She cut me off instantly, then turned around to clean up her desk.

I watched her dumbfounded wondering what I had done to piss her off. She seemed pretty cool when I first met her, now all of a sudden she was treating me like the spawn of Satan. "Do you have some kind of problem with me?" I asked cutting the bull, since she did not seem to be the type of woman who beats around the bush.

"As a matter of fact I do. I don't know why you asked Lulu to marry you but I don't think it's because you love her. Now I may not make the best decision but I am a pretty good judge of character and my gut is telling me something isn't right about this engagement."

For someone who seemed so unsuspecting and quite frankly ditzy she really was smarter than she looked. I sat in Lulu's empty chair calmly, facing the ardent blonde, and pretending that her intuition was way off base. "You're a beautiful woman, paranoia doesn't suit you."

"Deflecting with your charisma." She called me out once again. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree I see. That may work on other women but it won't on me, and I'm pretty sure it won't work on Lulu either; at least not for very long." Obviously she cared about Lulu, and while I could appreciate her forceful protective spirit it was getting old and annoying rather quickly.

Trying to change the subject, I noticed the beautiful bouquet of flowers on Lulu's desk. "Nice flowers." I commented, wondering who had gone to all the trouble.

"I know, Johnny has great taste." Maxie gloated. Clearly she was a fan of his.

"They're from Johnny as in Zacchara?" I asked wanting to make sure we were talking about the same person and it was not my minor case of jealously jumping the gun.

"Yeah, you know him? Wait of course you do Sonny is your father so you all run in the same mob circle." Maxie clarified answering her own question.

Why the hell was he sending her flowers? According to Lulu they were just friendly. It wasn't her birthday and she wasn't sick, so what other reason could he have for sending her flowers unless they were involved. A man would not buy a woman flowers for no reason unless she meant something to him and by the look of that bouquet Lulu obviously meant something to him.

Maxie was busy on the phone while I tried not to let the flowers bother me, but I was curious, and since Lulu was being so evasive I inconspicuously turned the flowers in the vase until I found a pink card sticking from between a few stems. _'Last night was amazing. Can't wait to see you when I get back. Miss you already.'_ The card read.

So her plans were with Johnny last night I concluded, remembering that she had declined my offer to stay the night because of her mysterious plans. Their relationship was definitely not just friendly. Feeling overwhelmingly territorial, I decided to outdo Johnny at all cost. The flowers were nice but I would get Lulu a ring that would make every woman green with envy. Diamonds were a girl's best friend after all, and maybe seeing a huge ring on her finger would give Johnny Zacchara the hint to back off.

Now I know I was thinking like a jealous boyfriend and I had no right to since Lulu and I technically were not together, but I did not like the idea of sharing her with someone else. She was not my possession but selfishly speaking if I could not have her in every way I wanted then no one else was going to either; especially not Johnny Zacchara.

Heels clicking on the tiled floor tapered my jealous ramblings for a moment. "Hey, I'll be right there just let me help Maxie clean this up then we can go." Lulu stated holding a roll of paper towel.

Maxie took the roll from her then blocked the receiver of the phone that was cradled to her ear. "Go I've got it."

"I'll be back soon." Lulu informed her friend. I nodded curtly towards Maxie who rolled her eyes, and we made our way out of the building in search for the perfect ring.

**Lulu's POV**

We had been driving for about an hour, way past Port Charles and heading into the city. "I thought we were going to the jewelry store."

"We are just trust me." Dante assured with that smug grin. He was up to something and I kind of liked that he was always finding ways to surprise me and spontaneously make me smile. If it weren't for this marriage maybe we really could have worked.

Once we hit Downtown Manhattan Dante parked the car in one of the nearby parking garages and we walked up the busy, noisy streets. Even though we were in the same state it was astounding to see the difference in pace from Port Charles. The people here seemed to constantly be moving at lightning speed and there was always something going on to captivate your interest. This truly was the city that never sleeps.

We turned onto 5th avenue and stopped in front of one of the many high rise buildings which lined the block. I looked up at the building which towered over me, and between two swinging American flags I read the name engraved in what looked like marble on the front. I looked from the building, to Dante and back to the building then shook my head stubbornly. "No, forget it. I'm not going in there." I turned around and started walking in the direction we came from.

Dante ran in front of me and began walking backwards, trying to stop my getaway. "What's the problem?" He asked holding my shoulders to keep me from bolting.

I tapped my foot from a mixture of exasperation and anxiety, taking quick deep breaths to calm myself down. "You said we were going to a jewelry store." I fumed.

"Tiffany's _is_ a jewelry store beautiful." He responded calmly with that stupidly cute smile etched on his lips, and I wanted to hit him so much for being such a smart ass.

"I know that. It's a very expensive jewelry store. I told you I don't want you spending that kind of money on me." People passed us back and forth arguing in the middle of the street; well more like me yelling in the middle of the street and Dante calmly listening, but they paid us no mind.

"My mother's birthday is coming up and I wanted to get her something from here. I just thought you would like to come as well." I gave him a yeah right look and started to walk again but Dante was not taking no for an answer. "I'm serious. Look, just go inside and look around while I look for something for my mom. If you don't want anything that's fine. " If smoke could come out of my ears it probably would have as I stood there glaring at him. "All I'm asking you to do is look. We don't have to buy." He pleaded one last time.

How did a simple arrangement turn into a traditional church wedding and me looking at rings in Tiffany's? I was no Audrey Hepburn and this was not my life. This was some kind of cruel joke the universe was trying to play on me that was not funny at all. "Fine." I told him indignantly, then turned around with my arms folded and walked back towards the store. Just because I was going in did not mean I had to like it.

Dante held the door open as I walked into the posh jewelry store. The pictures in the movie did not do the ambiance justice. Maxie would go crazy if she stepped foot in here. Before I could properly take it all in a woman approached us. "May I help you?" She asked politely.

I was about to say we were just looking but Dante beat me to it. "My fiancé needs a wedding ring and I need a gift for my mother, maybe a watch or a bracelet." He told her.

My head whipped around so fast at him I would not be surprised if I had whiplash; while Dante just kept smiling at the woman, ignoring my burning stare.

"Right this way." She led us further into the store.

There were rows and rows of display cases glistening with diamonds, precious stones and metals that were worth millions. I could not help but be enthralled by the store. This was like every girl's fantasy.

"You said we were just looking." I reminded Dante in a hushed tone.

He still had that stupidly cute smile and unexpectedly put his hand around my waist, then leaned into me. "We are... and if you maybe want to try a few you can."

The lady pulled out a tray of rings from the display case. "These are our best sellers. They are available in gold, white gold or platinum and they vary in carats according to your liking."

Dante pointed to a three stone round cut diamond ring set in platinum. "That's nice."

She picked up the ring and gave it to me to try. "No thank you." I refused, not wanting to get overwhelmed with the glamour of this place.

This was a fake engagement, a fake wedding and a fake marriage. For all I cared it could have been a fake ring. I was not going to get sucked into this pretend fairy tale romance just because Dante felt like I deserved a nice ring to ease his conscience.

"What about this one?" She asked pointing to another ring. "It's set in white gold, 1.5 carat emerald cut solitaire."

I shook my head again refusing to try it on. This time it was mostly because I did not like the ring.

"Ok. This one is a recent addition. It's a 2 karat rounded diamond set in a platinum band of channel rounded diamonds. And it had the matching channel band of rounded diamonds."

I was about to refuse again but Dante surprised me by taking both rings from the saleswoman, then lifting my left hand to put them on my fourth finger. As much as I tried not to notice, they were beautiful, and the way the set sparked in the light was mesmerizing.

"It's very pretty on your finger." She commented as I held my hand out turning it in various directions to inspect.

Dante lifted my hand closer for a better look. "It is beautiful. Do you like it?"

"Yes it's gorgeous." I admitted smiling; loving the way the light seemed to catch each facet at just the perfect angle to give it a brilliant twinkle.

"Great. We'll take it." Dante said, and I snatched my hand away realizing that I was getting too caught up in this fantasy; exactly what I was trying to avoid doing.

I quickly took off the rings and gave then back to the sales woman. "I don't want it."

**Dante's POV**

Lulu had to be the most fickle minded, stubborn and downright difficult woman I had ever met. She liked the ring, and I offered to get her the ring, the next logical response should have been ok or thank you; instead she refuses the ring. What woman in her right mind would refuse a diamond wedding ring? "You said you liked it." I tried to reason, still dumbfounded that she had turned it down.

"Excuse us." She told the sales woman, pulling me aside. "Are you crazy, have you seen the price? That set is over $35,000." She said incredulously.

I shrugged not fazed by the price; I didn't expect a ring in Tiffany's to be cheap or else I would not have brought her here. "So? If you want it I'll get it for you." It wasn't like I could not afford it.

I wasn't the type to spend exorbitant amounts of money on myself with custom made suits and Italian shoes like my father did, so I did not mind spending the money on her, after all it was the least I could do for everything she was doing for me. Plus my ego was factoring into this as well since I wanted to outdo Johnny's flowers.

"I don't want you spending that kind of money on me. You're already paying me more than enough." Lulu turned back to the lady, ending the discussion before I even had the chance to try to convince her again. "We don't need the rings."

"Are you sure? It is a beautiful fit." The sales woman asked hopeful. Undoubtedly in search of a hefty commission that would come along with the sale of that set.

"Thank you but no."

She replaced the rings with the others and locked it back into the display case clearly disappointed at her loss of commission. "I can help you find that gift for your mother now." She told me less enthusiastic.

I looked around for a while and finally picked out a gold diamond watch. "Do you think my mom would like this?" I asked Lulu's opinion, holding it up for her to see.

"Sure it's nice" She answered then went on looking at some other pieces in the store.

Glancing over in Lulu's direction again, I made sure she was not paying attention to me then leaned over the counter and whispered to the lady. "I really don't need a gift for my mother, I just wanted to surprise my fiancé so can you switch this for the rings she just tried on." I had anticipated Lulu was going to make buying a ring more difficult than in needed to be, so I came up with the birthday gift for my mother story as a backup plan.

"Of course. That's so sweet." She gushed as I handed over my credit card to pay for the rings, but I figured she was happier about getting her commission after all, rather than my gesture. She charged me for the purchase and discretely retrieved the rings from the case and placed them in a velvet box; then in the signature Tiffany blue box with the matching bag. "Have a nice day sir."

"You too." I told her taking the small bag.

Lulu was standing near the door waiting for me. "Did you get the watch?"

"Yep, so let's go find you a ring beautiful." I could not wait to see the look on Lulu's face on Saturday when I placed the ring of her dreams on her finger. Let Johnny try to top that.

**Comment Comment Comment good bad or indifferent**


	8. When You Smile The World Stares

**8- When You Smile The Whole World Stops and Stares For A While**

Lulu's POV - April 16th, 2012

_Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock…_ I watched the second hand of the wall clock going monotonously by in that constant circular motion. With every second ticking away my heartbeat increased to the point I thought it would explode in my chest. The church was becoming smaller and smaller, and I was starting to understand how claustrophobics felt in confined spaces. That feeling that the walls were closing in on you and no matter how much you told yourself to just breathe, there never seemed to be enough air to make that happen.

I stepped out of the bridal room for a moment to peek into the main hall of the church and saw pews filled with people; half of whom I did not recognize. How Olivia and Carly managed to pull off such a crowd in such a short period of time, I would never know.

I groaned at the thought of Dante's family and friends coming to see us get married, not knowing it was all a rouse. Even my family and friends were here thinking this was real. The saints Dante's family prayed to so earnestly must have been having a good laugh at us for disgracing the sanctity of marriage. If we got stuck by lightening on our way out the door I would not be surprised. "Ugh I'm going to hell." I mumbled, gnawing at my nails and shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

"Stop it." Maxie chided swatting my hand from my mouth because I was messing up my perfectly french manicured nails. "You're acting like a basket case."

She pulled me back into the room and got out the white nail polish to fix the chipped manicure. "I don't think I want to get married." I confessed.

"It's just nerves. I had them too when I almost married Spinelli but they'll go away." Maxie advised as she began to cover the chipped spots on my nails.

This situation was driving me crazy. Of course I wanted the money Dante was willing to pay so that I would marry him, but I really liked him and having to stay with him for a year would only make me like him more. It did not help that I had no one to talk to about my feelings. The only people who knew about this arranged marriage other than me and Dante were Diane because she wrote the stupid will so iron clad, Alexis because Dante tried to get her to find a loophole in the will and Jason because of course Jason knew everything. I had to tell someone, and Maxie being my best friend it came naturally to confide in her.

"I going to tell you something and you have to swear to me on your black and white Jimmy Choos, your pink Louboutins and your Channel purse that you won't tell a soul." I made her promise, knowing she loved those three items to death and would fight the person who tried to get them away from her.

"This is serious. I swear I won't tell."

An exhausted sigh left my mouth before I explained my situation. "Sonny put in his will that Dante had to marry me and stay married to me for a year to get his inheritance, so he's paying me one million dollars to marry him."

A long white line of nail polish streaked across the side of my finger when Maxie dropped the brush in shock. "A mill…mmpphh." Her words trailed off to a loud muffle when I clasped my hand over her mouth.

"Shhh."

Once she had been subdued enough I removed my hand to let her speak. "You're getting a million dollars and all you have to do is marry him a cute, rich man you've already been sleeping with, for a year? What is the matter with you? I would have married him the same night he asked."

"It's not that simple, I really like him." I admitted, feeling like a school girl with her first crush. Damn Dante for bringing out these kinds of feelings in me again. The last time I was this infatuated with a guy I wound up breaking up his marriage and getting pregnant.

"That's sweet and everything, but this is a million dollars we're talking about. Do you realize how many pairs of shoes and purses and couture dresses you could buy with that kind or money?" Maxie rambled, going off on a tangent on how I could spend the money. I don't know why I expected something different to come out of her mouth.

As much as I loved Maxie like a sister she was sometimes still as shallow as dishwater. "I'm telling you about spending a year of my life living with a man who I have feelings for but doesn't feel the same way about me and all you can talk about it clothes and accessories?" I asked incredulously with my hands on my hips glaring at her.

Maxie smiled sweetly but I knew she was just doing it to placate me. She was about to tell me what she really thought whether I wanted to hear it or not. If there was one thing I had to appreciate and count on her for was her cut throat, brutal honesty. "Sorry but you need to get a hold of yourself. You're a Spencer, you're supposed to thrive on stuff like this not act like a scared little girl. A million dollars Lulu. One. Million. Dollars." Maxie reiterated slowly, one syllable at a time as if I were deaf or stupid. I knew how much money it was, but sometimes I did not think the money was worth subjecting myself to the torture of living with him for a year. "Dante's been sleeping with you for three years now and if he can't see what a great person you are by now then he's not worth the stress. Remember he's Sonny's son. Making you fall for him to get what he wants then breaking your heart is in his DNA. You need to start thinking with your head and not your heart. Think like a Spencer."

She had a point. Dante never showed any interest in wanting more than sex from me before. At end of the day all he wanted was his inheritance, and marrying me was just a stepping stone to that. After the year, he would want go back to the same old song and dance of friends with benefits like nothing ever happened.

Well not this time. I was done. I was no longer going to be one of his multitudes of toys: something to simply amuse himself with until he was satisfied then put me away in the box until next time. I was better than that; I deserved better than that, and I would be damned if I was going to let the likes of Dante Falconari add me to the probable long list of broken hearts. From the several warnings I had gotten from Carly, and the way Olivia spoke, Dante had more in common with Sonny than just his charm and dimples.

"You're right. Think like a Spencer. I can do that." I said emphatically with a renewed sense of determination. This was in my blood. I just had to channel all the Spencer knowhow and instincts. Maybe I needed to start praying too just for a little extra help.

"Of course you can." Maxie agreed taking one last look at me from head to toe to make sure I looked like the flawless masterpiece she had made me up to be. Satisfied with her work she handed me my bouquet. "Let's go make you one million dollars richer."

**Dante's POV**

At 27 years old the last thing I had imagined myself doing was getting married. Of course I wanted a wife someday but I never planned on that someday being today. Thanks to the convoluted planning of dear old dad I was standing at the altar waiting for my bride to be. Queen of Angels was filled with Lulu's and my family and friends. Carly and my mother really did manage to do an amazing job in such a short period of time. They had chosen green as the theme color so the flowers and decorations adorning the church were all green and white.

The music began and Maxie walked down the aisle smiling and looking admittedly beautiful in a short green strapless dress. She took her place opposite to me and Michael, who was my best man, and was eyeing me blatantly like hunted game. If I did not know she disliked me so much I would have thought she was checking me out or making a silent pass at me.

The music changed and everyone stood up to face the aisles. This was it, even if it were just for show I was about to take the big plunge. The doors to the back opened again and Lulu stepped forward on her father's arm. My mouth opened slightly in awe. If anyone needed proof that a God existed this was it.

"Close your mouth before you start drooling." Michael told me jokingly.

When this ceremony was over the first thing I was going to do was hug my mother and Carly for stopping the justice of the piece ceremony, because seeing Lulu looking like she had just descended directly from the heavens was so worth the wait. She looked absolutely gorgeous in a one shoulder gown that curved with her body to about her knees, their flared to the ground with layers of soft ruffles. Her hair flowed across her shoulder in loose cascading spirals, shining like it was made of pure exotic gold. The dress was so long I could not see her feet, so it almost appeared as if she were gliding towards me. Lulu looked unreal; too beautiful to be a product of this time. It was a beauty that deserved to dance above the clouds with the gods and goddesses of ancient Rome or dine with kings and queens. Instead she was here, in a church in upstate New York about to marry me. Maybe my father was not so convoluted after all.

Luke placed Lulu's hand in mine. "Take care of her. Sonny's son or not, I know a guy with a dungeon."

"Dad." Lulu said warningly, but I could not blame Luke for the warning. If I had to watch my only daughter marry a man who was virtually a stranger to me, I'd probably put the fear of God into him any and every chance I got.

"I will." I agreed taking Lulu's hand. I leaned in as if to kiss her on the cheek, but whispered into her ear instead. "You look mind-blowingly gorgeous. I just needed to tell you that."

"Thanks." She smiled brightly, and the way she looked in that exact moment would hands down be one of those images that would stay with me until the day I died. She handed Maxie her bouquet and I could not stop staring at her even if I wanted to.

The music ceased and everyone seated, waiting for the priest to begin. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God to join Dante Angelo Falconari and Lesley Lu Spencer in holy matrimony. If anyone here has just cause why there two should not be married, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Edward and Tracy made a few disgruntled noises, but I had expected that from them since they hated me ever since I set foot in Port Charles. All because, according to them, I had the misfortune of being the spawn of Sonny Corinthos.

When there were no objections, he continued with the ceremony and turned to me. "Do you Dante take Lulu to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

He then turned to Lulu who still had that gorgeous smile. I could not tell if she was faking it for the ceremony or if it was genuine, and I honestly did not care. That smile was by far the best accessory on her and kept me entranced, shutting out the rest of the world.

**Lulu's POV**

Dante kept staring at me in wonder as if he had never seen me before. I was starting to get a little unnerved by it because he seemed to be looking straight through me. Maybe he was picturing me naked; it certainly would not have been the first time.

"Do you Lulu take Dante to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others as long as you both shall live?"

I tried to open my mouth to respond but the muscles in my jaw refused to work and my vocal chords had gone mute. _Say something_ my brain kept telling my mouth but the message had somehow got scrambled and nothing was happening. I looked at Dante then at the priest who were both expectantly waiting for me to answer. "I… I…" I stuttered glancing around at the crowd watching us. At this point I had two options: pull a runaway bride and get as far away from here as possible or simply make my mouth work and say I do.

"Say something." Maxie mumbled in a hushed tone behind of me. "Be a Spencer."

_Be a Spencer, think like a Spencer. _I reminded myself and finally those long awaited words left my mouth "I do."

Everyone including the priest seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Dante place the ring on Lulu's finger."

Michael handed Dante the ring we had picked out, and he repeated the word we had been instructed to say. "Lulu, take and wear this ring as a symbol of my fidelity and abiding love." Dante placed the ring on my finger, and I was about to pull my hand away to get his ring when he slipped on another ring. Knowing that we had only purchased one ring I looked down curiously in my hand and my heart felt like it had literally stopped beating. My eyes darted from him, to the rings, back to him, then to the rings again; all the while Dante was just grinning like he had won the lottery. The channel platinum set we had seen in Tiffany's was glistening flawlessly on my finger. _Don't pass out, don't pass out, don't pass out._ I had to tell myself because my feet suddenly felt like they had turned to gel and were about to give out from beneath me. So many things were going through my head at once. A part of me wanted to yell at him for going against my wishes and getting me such an expensive ring and the other part wanted to jump into his arms and do things to him that I should not have been thinking about in a church.

The priest nodded for me to give Dante his ring. With much trepidation to the point my hand was shaking, I put the ring on Dante's finger. "Dante, take and wear this ring as a symbol of my fidelity and abiding love." More than anything I wished I could mean the words I was saying and that he had meant it too, but as gorgeous as these rings were they were symbols of nothing but a business transaction.

"Having made these vows freely and unreservedly in the sight of God and all these witnesses, and having pledged yourselves unto each other, you are now joined as husband and wife in holy matrimony. Sworn to love, honor and cherish each other until parted by death. Dante you may kiss your bride."

This was the part of the ceremony Dante was more than willing to do, and we shared an admittedly sweet first kiss as husband and wife. It was soft, gentle and as beautiful as the ceremony had turned out to be. Everyone cheered as we walked out of the church, throwing what I assumed was birdseed since during Maxie's non wedding we had used the same thing because rice was apparently bad for birds.

And so it began; for the next 364 days I was going to Mrs. Lulu Falconari. I said it repeatedly in my head and changed it to Mrs. Lulu Spencer-Falconari. That kind of had a nice sound to it.

**Dante's POV - Limo**

I had finally figured out how to handle Lulu when she was upset with me. Never argue with her or interrupt her while she was ranting. Just stay quiet and wait patiently until she was done, then kiss her senseless to shut her up and make her forget whatever she was yelling at me for.

As soon as we had left the church and stepped into the limo, Lulu had gone off on me about the ring and it being too much, and I don't ever listen and blah blah blah. At first I tried to reason with her, telling her that I just wanted her to be happy so I got her the ring she really wanted. That only sent her off on an even bigger tangent so I kept mouth closed for the rest of the time she was fussing. Once she realized I was not engaging she stopped and glared at me fiercely. "Well aren't you going to say something?"

Instead of answering I pulled her to me and kissed her like it was the last time I would ever get to kiss her again. As usual she had to fight me at first, but the attraction was too much and she melted against me wrapping her arms around my neck. A contented sigh resounded from her and I leaned her back onto the seat where we had been making out for the past half hour like two hormone crazed teenagers.

Even though I loved seeing Lulu in her dress, I wanted to see her naked more. Unfortunately I only managed to get the zipper halfway down her back. The dress was so clingy; getting her completely out of it, in such a confined space was too much of a chore. Trying another angle, I pushed the dress up from the bottom but it had too many ruffles for me to see straight, and would not go past her knees so I gave up. Lulu started laughing at how frustrated I was becoming and pulled me back down on top of her. "You should see your face right now." She teased slipping her hands beneath my already unbuttoned shirt and trying to ease the tension than that was knotted in my shoulders, amongst other places.

"I'm tempted to tear this damn dress off you." I grumbled out of not getting my way. I'd been trying to get her back into bed for days and the moment she seemed like a willing participant again, her clothes would not come off.

Lulu's hands drifted south towards my belt buckle and methodically began undoing it and my pants. "But what would everyone think if I showed up in a torn dress?" She asked feigning innocence. Her hand maneuvered skillfully in my boxer briefs, tracing her slender fingers along my hardness then wrapping them around me.

_God that felt good_ I thought as her hand worked around me and her lips nipped and sucked at my neck. "That your husband couldn't keep his hands off you." I said breathless. My concentration was gone, leaving me helpless to do anything but lay against her chest and indulge in what she was doing to me. The moan of approval seemed to excite her, causing her grip to tighten and her stroke to speed up around me. My hold on her hips tightened and she slowed down, taking me off the high I was ascending to. "Don't stop beautiful." I begged easing my hands under her butt and pulling her as close to me as I could get her.

"We're supposed to be at the reception already." Lulu reminded me in a seductive timbre that echoed endlessly in my ear, while her hand moved up and down meticulously bringing me closer and closer to euphoria again. "They're probably waiting for us inside."

"And I've been waiting to get inside you." I whispered to her wishing I could tear the dress off and bury myself into the sweetest place I had discovered. My eyes closed moaning against the smooth curve of her neck. "That feels freakin' amazing." I exhaled like I had been holding that breath forever. I could see myself going to sleep like this with her every night for the next year: moaning from her touch, breathing in her scent, caressing her silky skin, losing myself inside of her. Hell I could go to sleep and wake up like this with her for the rest of my life. _Wait what did I just think?_

Like someone had dashed cold water on me, my eyes shot open and I sat up to look down at the beautiful woman beneath me.

"What's the matter?" Lulu asked realizing I was not as responsive to her touch as before.

I would have loved an answer to that myself. The thought of being with Lulu for the rest of my life had never once crossed my mind. Sure I had admitted to the possibility of her being the type of woman I would have dated, but spending my life with her was a far cry from dating. My fingers raked through my hair in confusion. It had to be the lack of sex, and me being caught up in the events of the day making my mind drift to these weird places. These were not the rational minded thoughts of Dante Falconari.

The feel of Lulu's palm against my cheek brought me back to my surroundings. "Dante are you ok, you look like you've seen a ghost."

"I-I-I'm fine… I think." I backed away from her and began straightening my clothes. "We should go inside."

Lulu looked at me as confused as I felt. I wished I could have given her an explanation of what had just happened but I it made no sense whatsoever. It had to be the wedding just messing with me. The traditional ceremony was making me have thoughts I had no business or desire to think of.

**Lulu's POV – Reception**

_Temptation was a bitch. _I had sworn off sex with Dante and I had every intention of keeping that promise to myself, but in my defense he had gotten me the exact ring that I loved, no questions asked. A gesture like that was bound to make a woman lose her senses and her panties for one night. There would be no harm in us being together for one more night, and then I would be done for real this time. No more sex.

To be honest I would have gone through with it in the limo if we could have gotten the dress off and if Dante did not go frigid on me. I still had no idea what had gotten into him. One minute he was completely turned on and the next he basically went limp in my hands. That was not like him at all and I could not help but wonder if it was me.

We had gone through the necessary traditions of our first dance and cutting the cake, so guests were now mingling and entertaining themselves while Dante and I were forced to pretend to be the happy newlyweds as I got introduced to his side of the family. The Falconari's were a colorful bunch to say the least. As Dante had warned me, they were in fact your stereotypical New York- Italian family: jovial and everyone was in everyone else's business. I got told endless stories of cousin this and aunt that, and of course they were all talking about Cousin Connie (aka Kate) the family ingrate. I had also lost count the number of times Dante and I had been asked when we were going to have children. You would have thought they were depending on us to carry on the Falconari name. But I had to admit; considering they did not know me they were very welcoming.

Dante was being his usual social self while I sat at the table contently sipping champagne. Maxie came to sit down next to me and instantly grabbed my hand. "I've been dying to get you alone so that I could see the ring. What happened to not wanting anything expensive?"

"I didn't; this isn't the ring we picked out. Dante did this without me knowing."

She turned my hand in several different directions, watching the diamond sparkle. "Well I've got to give him credit for being a romantic. I hope you intend to show your gratitude tonight."

I snatched my hand away at the suggestive advice. First she was telling me to think like a Spencer and now she was telling me to be gracious. Maxie was so flighty I should have known better than to take advice from her, but she was my best friend and I had to talk to someone. "What happened to thinking like a Spencer?"

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't have fun while you're married."

She was all about being uninhibited and a risk taker, which I would not have minded if it were anyone else but Dante. He had the power to break my heart if I got too attached and I did not want to go through that again. "Yeah well Dante and I won't be having much _fun_, as you put it, while we're married. As a condition of me marrying him I told him I wouldn't sleep with him."

"And he agreed?" Maxie asked incredulously; and I nodded in response. "Either he really wants that inheritance or he's getting it from somewhere else."

That thought had crossed my mind as well, but if he was seeing someone else he would not have said we could not see other people while married. That would have put a major dent in his other relationship. "Well we also agreed that neither one of us would cheat during the marriage. It was actually his idea."

Maxie rolled her eyes and took a sip of the champagne in her glass. "Come on Lulu be realistic. A guy like Dante is not going to go a year without sex. He probably just told you that to make sure you don't sleep with anyone else; guys are territorial like that. If he doesn't get it from you, you can be damn sure he's going to find it somewhere else."

Speaking of the devil in question, Dante approached us at the table. "Can I borrow Lulu for a second?"

"Sure." Maxie leaned into me and whispered. "If I were you I'd rethink that no sex thing." She advised then flitted off.

"There is just one more person you need to meet." Dante told me then took me by the hand and walked me through the crowded room. _He holds my hand a lot_ I noticed as we casually maneuvered our way to the other side of the room. I would be lying if I said I did not like him holding my hand as often as he did. We were at the bar where Olivia was speaking to another woman. She looked to be in her late 60's or early 70's, about Olivia's height but with mostly grey hair spotted with its original black. She and Olivia looked a lot alike and I figured this was his grandmother. "Lulu this is my grandmother Talia Falconari."

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Falconari." I greeted with a smile extending my hand.

She brushed aside my extended hand. "Nonsense sweetheart you're family now, call me Nona." And unexpectedly pulled me in to a hug. _Ok then._ Was my first thought as I was taken off guard by her boldness, but I hugged her back anyway. "I had just about given up hope on Dante ever getting married in my lifetime. As much as we tried with him he's too much like his father, God rest his soul." She remarked looking Dante's way, and he smiled innocently as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

I knew Dante had a lot of Sonny's ways but was he really as big of a playboy that everyone made him to be? My mind began to wonder about his past relationships and the types of women he dated. If his own grandmother was basically calling him a cad then that was all the more reason for me to keep my wits about me and maintain my so sex stance. _Think like a Spencer_ I reiterated Maxie's words in my head.

"When Olivia told me Dante was getting married I thought it was a joke. You must be a special woman to get him to settle down." She complemented. "And you make a beautiful bride honey. I'm glad to see my grandson's tastes refined over the years. He's dated a few bagascias that made me worry"

"Nona!"

I had no idea what she said but it sounded funny enough to make me want to laugh so badly, but was trying not to embarrass Dante more than he already was. The poor guy seemed as if he wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. "I guess I was just that lucky million dollar girl." I said sarcastically and Dante poked me in the back for the comment.

"So is there any chance of me getting a great grandchild soon? We've never had had any blondes in the family, well besides your Cousin Connie but we all know that was hair dye just so she could distance herself from the family. It would be very interesting to see a new generation of blonde Falconaris."

Dante looked as if he was about to die of embarrassment while I was absolutely loving seeing him squirm. If this sweet elderly woman had the power to unnerve arrogant, smart mouth Dante, then she and I were going to get along just fine. "We'll see Nona." He mumbled, his tanned complexion taking on a slightly red hue. If someone had told me Dante was blushing I never would have believed it unless I had seen it with my own eyes. "Lulu and I have to go say hi to our other guests." He told her, cutting the conversation off quickly.

"It was nice meeting you Mrs. Falconari." She raised her eyebrows at me in a maternal way as if I had said a bad word and I immediately corrected myself. "Nona."

"Nice to meet you too Lulu. I hope we get to see you in Bensonhurst soon."

Dante and I made our way back through the crowd and he took two champagne glasses from one of the passing waiters and handed me one. I took a sip, and watched him gulp down the contents then loosen his tie. It was funny how uncomfortable his grandmother managed to make him talking about kids. "So your family isn't into blondes huh?" I teased loving that the great Dante had an Achilles hell.

"I'm sorry about that, she gets carried away sometimes." He apologized, but I was not offended in the least.

Talia seemed like a sweet lady and it was obvious she wanted nothing more than for Dante to be happy and have a family of his own he could love the same way his mother and grandmother loved him. "I don't mind, she seems very sweet. But what does that word she said mean…bala something."

"Bagascia." Dante pronounced in perfect Italian; or at least what sounded to me like perfect Italian. The language fit his persona and sounded so sexy rolling off his tongue as if it were native. It would be such a turn-on hearing him tell me things in Italian while we were in bed. I didn't really care what it meant just as long as it sounded sexy. "It's not a very nice word."

"Oh so you dated skanks." I guessed, putting the pieces together.

Dante placed his empty champagne glass on a nearby table and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. "Forget about the women I dated, they're not important." He was averting the conversation again; something I noticed he was very good at doing and I kept letting him get away with it. The random intimate moments when he would whisper something sweet or sexy in my ear, pull me closer or hold my hand were the ones that usually got me sidetracked. Like right now I was as light as a feather. "So is there any chance we can get out of here and possibly continue where we left off in the limo?"

"Depends on if you feel up," I glanced down to his lower region evocatively. "To the challenge."

"That was just my head playing tricks with me. That won't happen again, I promise."

"I hope he's promising to get rid of that ratty old Yankees jersey and finally get a new one." A voice from behind of me spoke.

Before I could turn around Dante stepped out of my arms and into the ones of one of Port Charles' past familiar faces. "Brooke-Lynn, what are you doing here?" He asked lifting her feet off the ground, spinning her around, and sounding as excited as a kid on Christmas morning.

"You didn't think I was going to miss out on you getting married did you. I had to meet the woman who managed to steal you away from Bensonhurst." She looked past Dante to me. "Hi Lulu."

From their current stance I wondered if she meant steal him away from Bensonhurst or steal him away from her. I simply waved, displaying a polite smile even though I was put off by them. "You two know each other?" Dante asked curiously with his hand still around Brooke's waist and hers around his. _They seem rather comfortable with each other_ I noticed.

"Yeah I lived here for a while a few years back. Lulu dated my uncle Dillon; well it was more like she had a huge crush on him while he was married, and he was her step brother at the time… but that's all water under the bridge now." Brooke-Lynn explained with feigned sweetness.

Dante looked at me quizzically unaware of what Brooke was referring to, and I wanted nothing more than to slap the taste out of her mouth for spreading my business. If I wanted Dante to know about my past I would tell him myself. "So Brooke did you come just for the wedding?" I asked to distract Dante from my past and also hoping she was on her way back to wherever it is she came from tonight.

"Yeah. I actually came home from Europe two days ago and heard Dante was getting married in Port Charles, so I had to see if the rumors were true. You know every girl in Bensonhurst is heartbroken right now right?"

"Don't listen to her, she exaggerates a lot." Dante told me, then his attention reverted to Brook like a moth drawn to a flame. "Hey have you seen my mom?"

"No I just got here."

Dante placed his hand on Brooke's lower back, motioning for him to follow her. "Come on, I know she'd love to see you. Be right back Lulu." He told me, before disappearing with her in the crowd. They had been going on and on, back and forth so much that I was truly surprised he realized I was still there.

Although this marriage was just for convenience and I had no right to be jealous, I was. Everything was running so smoothly between Dante and me, then all of a sudden Brooke-Lynn came out of nowhere and he was acting like a kid with a new toy. I watched them from across the room as Olivia hugged Brook-Lynn like she was the long lost daughter being welcomed home. They all looked so comfortable around each that I started to feel like an outsider; as if I had invaded their Bensonhurst world.

"Brides are supposed to be smiling on their wedding day." Johnny told me, giving me one of those delicious cupcakes, which by some miracle, Maxie had got the bakery to make for the wedding. I took it gratefully forming some semblance of a smile but feeling a cross between angry and hurt. "Do you want to talk about whatever's bothering you? Or I could go find Maxie if you'd rather talk to her."

"Actually I'd rather just drink about it." A waiter passed and I took two glasses of champagne, then handed Johnny one.

Dante and Brooke-Lynn were still in my line of sight, now talking to Olivia, his grandmother and a few of his cousins. They were all laughter and smiles, probably swapping old stories and good times, while I was having thoughts of ripping Brooke-Lynn's hair out strand by strand.

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	9. It's Just You and Your Hand Tonight

**Happy New Year Everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and thank you so much for all the wonder reviews. It means so much to me that you like reading this story as much as i love writing it. :)**

**9 – It's Just You and Your Hand Tonight **

**Dante's POV**

I never considered myself the possessive type when it came to girlfriends. I did not question their whereabouts or got an attitude if I saw them talking to someone of the opposite sex, but something about Lulu and Johnny made me uneasy. For two people who were just "friendly" as Lulu put it, they seemed very comfortable around each other; too comfortable. While mingling with my family and friends I had been keeping a watchful eye on the pair. Their interaction was nothing but seemingly harmless conversation, though I was dying to know what they were talking about.

"Dante are you listening?... Dante." I heard Brooke-Lynn saying my name and immediately reverted my attention to her.

"Yeah, Christmas in Bensonhurst." I responded, repeating the last words I remembered hearing. My focus was too much on Johnny and Lulu to pay attention to anything else.

Following my eyes Brooke-Lynn realized where my fascination lay. "Stare any harder and you're gonna burn a hole through Lulu's dress." She commented. "Who's the guy? He's pretty cute."

A disdained scoff was my first response to her remark. Johnny was not all that. Sure he was a little taller than me but other than that, it was a pretty level playing field, and dare I say in my favor. He was nothing to get excited about the way Brooke-Lynn, Maxie and allegedly Lulu were.

"So who is he?" Brooke probed more interested than I would have liked.

Automatically my eyes rolled. "Johnny Zacchara, but he's tied to the mob which makes him dangerous so don't even think about going there."

Brooke-Lynn was always like a little sister to me so I felt the need to protect her just like I did Kristina or even Michael and Morgan whenever I felt they were getting in over their heads. The bad thing was that she seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble; but who was I to judge since I had done my share of mischief over the years. Sometimes she was there by my side getting scolded by the nuns at St. Agnes or by old Mrs. Giovanni down the street, so I could not be ungrateful to my partner in crime.

"You're tied to the mob."

"It's nowhere near the same." I told her resenting the comparison. Johnny and I were nothing alike except that we both seemed to be attracted to the same woman. "I wasn't raised in that world, Johnny was. His father is as ruthless and as crazy as they come. And his sister is not very far behind. From what I've heard Johnny's reckless and not the type of company you want to keep."

By the blasé expression Brooke had, everything I said went in one ear and straight out the other. She smirked taking a sip of champagne and tilted her head in the general direction across my shoulder. "Doesn't look like Lulu thinks so."

Confused, I turned to where Brooke was motioning and saw both Lulu's hands on Johnny's shoulders while she laughed as if she had received the most hilarious joke. Johnny's hand never moved from her waist as he took her champagne glass and rested it on a nearby table.

My grip on the glass I was holding tightened, and if it were anything but glass it probably would have crushed beneath the pressure. We were only married a few hours and already Lulu was breaking our agreement. Was she that hot for the guy that she couldn't at least wait a day? And at our wedding no doubt. The least she could have done was show some tact and respect for both our families and friends and waited until they were in a private place. Fake wedding or not if she thought she was going to make a fool out of me she had another thing coming. There was nothing worse than a deceptive woman and no amount of money willed to me would make me put up with that; especially from a woman who I expected better from.

**Lulu's POV – A Few Minutes Earlier**

After I had gotten sick of seeing Dante and Brooke-Lynn act like they were the ones who had just got married, I secluded myself into a corner where I had made friends with multiple glasses of champagne. The bubbles had gotten to my head but I was not drunk, just a little tipsy. The waiter passed and I got another glass of champagne, but before I could drink it Johnny took it away from me. "You've had enough."

"Noooo." I whined truly disappointed that he was depriving me of my new friend. That champagne was really good and it had such a pretty sparkle. I reached for the glass and stumbled a bit, but before I could fall Johnny grabbed me and I held onto his shoulders for support. Finding the incident so funny that I was tripping over my own feet I erupted into fits of laughter. I was such a klutz. Brooke-Lynn didn't look like a klutz, at least not anymore. She was all tall and leggy and brunette just like Dante's family liked. Maybe I needed to dye my hair and he would actually like me the way I liked him. "Do you think Dante would like me as a brunette?"

"I guess. I'm sure he would no matter what color your hair is."

"Cuz his family doesn't like blondes, and I'm blonde, but no one in his family is blonde, so maybe I shouldn't be blonde." The more I spoke the more my words did not make much sense to me; all I could grasp was blonde, but I went along with my thoughts anyway. "You know, you're pretty… and Maxie's pretty. You guys should have a pretty wedding and pretty babies. It would all be so… so…" I thought hard trying to remember what I wanted to say but I had lost my train of thought.

"Pretty?" Johnny finished.

My face lit up like a Christmas tree for finally remembering where I was going with this. Before I could continue with my conversation of Maxie and Johnny's pretty wedding someone tapped me on the shoulder. _Why were people so rude? Didn't they see I was having a conversation?_ Irritated that I was being interrupted just when I was getting to the point, I turned around in an angry huff and saw Dante staring back at me. "Danteeee!" I squealed, throwing my hands around his neck and kissing him fiercely. Gosh he was gorgeous. I wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes off and kiss him from head to toe then all the way back up again. My hands wondered to the back of his neck and beneath his shirt collar. I was used to feeling the chains that usually resided there, but they were gone for the ceremony.

I tried to get my hand further beneath the shirt but Dante held both my arms firmly and pulled back to look at me. "Are you feeling ok?"

"Mmm hmmm but you could make me better." I hinted trying to kiss him again but he stopped me.

"She overdid it on the champagne." Johnny explained to Dante.

Dante nodding understandingly. "I should get her out of here before she does or says anything crazy."

They were talking over me like I was not even there so I felt the need to interject and defend myself. I spun around and pointed a finger at Johnny. "Excuse you. I…" Then pointed to myself and shook my head side to side. "Am not drunk." Then took a step forward but stumbled again. This time Dante was the one to catch me, and I erupted into fits of laughter yet again. _I really was a klutz._

**Dante's POV**

My intention was to confront Lulu and give her a piece of my mind about the way she was acting with Johnny, but the moment she turned around so excited and kissed me like we had been apart forever, my anger dissipated. She was having a very strange effect on me where I could go from nonchalant, to jealous, to completely enamored with her all in one minute. That wasn't a good sign for me. Getting too attached was every man's downfall and I couldn't let it be mine.

Although I would have loved to have taken the credit for her sudden enthusiasm, I knew alcohol was the culprit. I had never seen Lulu drunk and from her conduct she was a very 'friendly' drunk. I did not want my mother or grandmother to see her in this state, especially since I was not sure if she was a talkative drunk as well. The last thing I needed was her telling everyone that the marriage was for convenience rather than love.

Leave her alone in this state was not a good idea, so putting aside my seething jealously for a moment I asked Johnny to keep an eye on her while I told everyone we were leaving. If he was as into her as much as I suspected at least I knew he was safe with her.

Once I had told everyone important we were leaving, I got back to Lulu quickly because I did not like the idea of her with Johnny for very long. I still had no idea what was going on with them and was not about to add fuel to what could be a spark or possibly already fire.

"Are we going on a honeymoon?" She asked in an intoxicated slur.

"Yeah sure, honeymoon." I told her helping her focus on getting one foot in front of the other so she would not trip and draw attention to herself.

This had the makings of a very long night.

Growing up in a large family I was used to seeing all different types of drunks when the wine got passed around too much. Weaknesses quickly vacated, sometimes turning the most saintly person into a fully fledged heathen. There were usually the 4 basic drunks: the obnoxious drunks who always wanted to start a fight, the talkative drunks who drunk dials, texts and tells everyone's secrets including their own, the extroverted drunks who had no trouble getting up on the table or in the middle of a crowd and making a fool of themselves and finally the uninhibited drunks who were willing to do every and anything they had wanted to do while they were sober but never had the nerve.

As it turns out Lulu was an uninhibited drunk. Ironically I spent the drive home in the back of the limo trying to keep her off of me. She had become more than willing to drop the no sex rule, but I was not about to go through with it when she was drunk and probably would not remember anything in the morning. As badly as I wanted her, I had more respect for her than to take advantage of the situation. Whenever she decided to have sex again I wanted her coherent and sober.

We stepped off the elevator into my apartment, and I kept a close hold on her since she seemed to be tripping over her feet a lot. "This is not a honeymoon place. This is your place." She slurred looking all around the apartment dazed. One of the things I distinctly noticed about drunken Lulu was that her speech slowed tremendously compared to her usual speed when she was sober. None the less it was kind of cute because she sounded like a little girl, and I found myself wondering what she was like as a kid.

Once again her arms went across my shoulders, locking her fingers at the back of my neck. "Aren't you gonna take my dress off?" She asked pressing her body into mine.

Looking into those clear amber eyes I got lost somewhere. Her attitude was alluring and seductive, but there was a vulnerability tinged in between that made me want to protect her just as much as I wanted to have my way with her. "You need to sleep off the alcohol." I tried reasoning hoping that she would appreciate me being respectful, but Lulu was not hearing it. There seemed to be one thing only on her mind tonight.

Her head shook side to side defiantly with a sly smile and she pushed my jacket off, then began unbuttoning my shirt. "Not unless you sleep with me."

I grabbed her wrists to stop her actions. "I would love to do that but not when you're drunk." I tried to explain calmly, but nothing I said or did seemed to faze or deter her. The alcohol had her giggly and completely uninhibited to any rational thought and behavior.

"I… am… not… drunk." She annunciated one syllable at a time. "Very horny but not drunk."

I smiled at her unabashed declaration. Now I definitely knew that was the champagne talking. Lulu would never in her sober mind admit to something like that or even talk like that.

Out of the blue Lulu kissed me feverously taking me completely off guard. Her tongue easily slid into my mouth caressing mine and lulling me into submission. I released her wrists and pulled her closer molding her body against mine. _Why did she always have to feel so damn good. _Her lips strayed across my jaw and down my neck making me lose rational thought and behavior as well. My found its way to the back of her head as she continued affecting the places that would put me at her mercy. "Lulu you're literally making it really hard for me to be a gentleman and not take advantage."

"Maybe I want you to take advantage of me." She leaned ever closer grazing my lips with a barely there kiss that managed to make my blood even hotter, flowing from my brain southwards. "Against the wall…" Like a skilled temptress her body slid slowly down mine making sure not to leave any spot unkissed or untouched. "In the elevator…" Her warm tongue trailed down my bare chest until she was on her knees in front of me. "On the kitchen counter…" She unbuckled my belt and undid the pants dragging it to my ankles. _I was so going to hell for this. _But there was only so much I could take from the type of torture she had been subjecting me to ever since we left the fingers wrapped around me again just like in the limo earlier and I swore I had died and gone to heaven. "In the shower…" Just the sight of Lulu like this was erotic and enough to make me cum if I thought about it for too long: hair shining and flowing all across her shoulders and down her back, eyes flashing determined with desire, and incredibly beautiful radiant skin like a true angel. "On the fire escape."

Although my head was clouded in a delirious fog by her deeds, I was intrigued by her open-mindedness. "The fire escape? Seriously?" I asked breathless, striving to keep my balance by holding on to the shelves next to me as my breathing became shallower and coordination faded.

"Mmmm Hmmm." Her hands kept moving skillfully making my eyes roll to the back of my head. "And you can bend me over the table… and the chair… and I could tie you to the bed… and I could…" Lulu pulled my underwear all the way down and trailed the tip of her tongue painfully slow along the length of my hardness on one side from base tip, then back up the other side. That move made me shiver with small tremors and I grabbed her shoulders tighter than I had intended. She made a sound of what resembled a whimper and I looked down at her again seeing what she was about to do.

Had it been some other woman I might I closed my eyes and enjoyed whatever would come next, but when I saw at Lulu on her knees in front of me in a gorgeous dress and impeccably stunning I knew she deserved better than this. I wanted better than this for her. If she ever decided to go there with me then she needed to be sober. I was not going to treat her like any ordinary woman because what I had quickly found out was that she was anything but ordinary. In fact she was starting to appear extraordinary in the best of ways.

As much as it physically hurt to do so, I backed away from Lulu and pulled my underwear and pants up. _Damn my mother and grandmother for raising me to respect women._

Lulu stared up at me confused and I pulled her to her feet with more effort than it normally would have taken to lift her up. "I'll make you a deal beautiful. If you wake up in the morning and you still want to do all those things we definitely can, but for tonight you need some sleep."

She pouted giving me her best puppy dog eyes which I imagined she had used to charm her father and other men in getting her way. "But we're married so we're supposed to cossomnate it." She stated matter-of-factly, then plopped down on my bed with an irritated sigh.

"Consummate." I corrected going in search of a T shirt she could sleep in for the night since that dress would not have been comfortable.

"That's what I said."

I found the shirt and put it over her head but not all the way on. "Stand up for a second." Lulu did as I asked so I could unzip the dress, then she wiggled out of it leaving her in nothing but a tiny, lacy back thong, smiling unashamedly. There was an involuntary twitch in my groin and I could not help but groan at the situation being thrust at me. _God are you trying to punish me because if so it's working._

Struggling to look above her head instead of at her perky, perfectly rounded breasts that I was dying to surround with my hands and mouth, I pushed her arms through the shirt sleeves. "Wouldn't you rather me naked?" She asked, her voice cooing still in that slowed speech.

Although I tried not to, my eyes finally fell on her. First on her face smoldering and zealous filled, her lower lip clasped between her teeth the same way it was whenever she was about to cum. Then travelling down the smooth curve of her neck to her breasts, watching them rise and fall with each passing breath. [i]_She had spectacular breasts. What I wouldn't give to…[/i] _"No, no, no." I snapped myself out of my unruly thoughts and sat her back in the bed, took her shoes off, pulled her feet up and tucked the covers around her. "Stay there and go to sleep."

When I turned my back something hit me lightly at the back of my head. "You are no fun." When I glanced to the floor it was her panties, meaning Lulu was in _my_ bed, wearing nothing but _my_ shirt, while I was going to sleep on the couch. _Great, just_ _freakin' great! _Not bothering to indulge in her drunken antics I put her underwear next to her dress and turned out the lights.

Lying on the couch, I waited for her to fall asleep so I could take a freezing cold shower; God knows I needed it to take away the throbbing that was developing in my groin. I did not want to take the chance of showering while she was awake because drunken Lulu was way more determined than sober Lulu, and she could easily pick a lock. If Lulu followed me into the shower that would have been my breaking point; all bets would be off and I would do whatever she wanted me to, no questions asked.

In frustration my fingers raked through my hair at my change in attitude towards her. I was starting to sound too attached, and found myself caring more than I should have. Somewhere along the way Lulu had gone from just a friend with benefits to a friend I actually liked and cared about. In what lifetime would I have gone through all this for a woman? Had it have been anyone else I would have made sure she got to her home ok then left. Not bring her back to my place and suffer through the agonizing pain of having her literally offer herself to me and making me have to decline. Maybe Lulu had the right idea about not letting sex complicate things because this was suddenly starting to get more complicated than I would have liked.

**Lulu's POV – April 17****th**

My head felt like someone had been using it as a drum set and no matter how much I swallowed my mouth was dry. I eased my eyes open but was met with bright sunlight and instantly closed them groaning at the pain its brilliance caused. The last thing I remembered was being at the reception and drinking multiple glasses of champagne, after that everything else was a blur. I did not even know how I got home.

Not wanting to deal with anyone or anything I turned onto my stomach and put the pillow over my head hoping to sleep away this horrible hangover. That was when I felt total skin to skin contact between my legs and realized I was not wearing any underwear. _Why wasn't I wearing any underwear? _Panicked and trying to decipher what had happened in the past few hours I jumped up looking around at my surroundings. This wasn't my bedroom; this wasn't my apartment. _Where the hell am I and why am I not wearing any underwear?_

My eyesight had adjusted enough to get a good look at the place and it became familiar; I had been here before. Then I looked down at the t shirt clothing me and saw New York Yankees printed across the front; more evidence pointing to the conclusion I suspected: I was at Dante's. Breathing a sigh of relief that I hadn't made some huge mistake, I collapsed into the bed and closed my eyes trying to fall asleep again.

The hum of the elevator made me re open my eyes and I saw Dante get off and shut the bars. He had a shopping bag in one hand and two grocery bags in the other. "You finally woke up." He said a little too loud for my liking upon seeing me sit up in the bed.

I grabbed my head with both hands feeling the throbbing intensify with every sound and movement. "Inside voice please." I groaned. Alcohol was a horrible thing. It could make you feel so good in the moment but the after effects were not worth it. "I'm never drinking again."

"That's what we all say." Dante handed me a glass of water and some aspirin. With the kind of pain that was pounding my head it was going to take more than two aspirin to stop it.

One would thing that champagne being a lower alcohol proof would not give as bad a hangover as tequila or vodka, but it was just as bad if not worse. Thank God it was Sunday and I did not have to go to work because the chances of me making it through the day without keeling over would have been slim to none.

"What happened last night?" I asked hoping Dante could clarify the latter events of our reception.

"Before or after you wanted to tie me to the bed?"

Some of the water in my mouth spurted out after hearing what he said. If I was willing to do that it would certainly explain why I wasn't wearing any underwear. "Did we…" My question trailed off as I pointed to the discarded panties in the chair.

An amused smirk appeared on his face while he unpacked the groceries. "Nope, you took those off yourself. You're a very bold and not to mention kinky drunk."

From the 'I know something you don't know' expression that was displayed I had the sinking feeling that I did not behave in the most lady like manner last night. "Oh no, what did I do?"

Once everything was put away he brought me a cup of coffee and sat next to me on the bed. "Basically throw yourself at me and tell me how much you wanted me."

"I did not." I denied in disbelief. No way would I have said anything like that. Sure I had thought about being with him once or twice… ok maybe a lot, but I would never admit to it. _Would I?_

"Honestly you did. I kept telling you I didn't want to take advantage and you told me you wanted to do it in the elevator, the shower, against the wall, the kitchen counter and my personal favorite the fire escape." Covering my face I sighed, completely mortified with my behavior. If only the bed could just swallow me whole or I could shrink to the size of an ant. Dante on the other hand was enjoying tormenting me and continued to do so until I felt my face and neck grow warmer and turn bright crimson. "If you really wanted to do all those things, you could have just told me and I would have been more than happy to help you out. I like an open-minded woman." His fingers crept up my bare thigh as he leaned in to kiss me, but I pushed him off still embarrassed.

Truthfully, I was surprised that even after I threw myself at him, Dante refused to sleep with me. It seemed that I was more than willing to do whatever he wanted so why didn't he take the opportunity. Coupling that with the way he had switched off from me in the limo yesterday I wondered if the attraction was waning on his part especially now that Brooke-Lynn was in the picture again. I did not want to come off as jealous or insecure but I had to know. "Why didn't you sleep with me last night when you had the chance? If I was so willing you could have easily gone through it and blamed it on the alcohol."

"As much as I want you to change your mind about us not having sex, I wouldn't wait until you're drunk to talk you into it. I have more respect for you than to have sex with you while you're too delirious to know what you're saying or doing. If we were both drunk, that might have been a different story." He explained.

Just my luck, so not only was he cute, rich, a great kisser, good in bed and incredibly sweet, he was a gentleman. I needed a reason not to keep falling for him and the more I looked the less I found. There had to be some dog-like quality about him. Whatever it was needed to come out soon so I could get a reality check and stop liking him so much.

Trying to change the subject from my inebriated escapades, my attention turned to the other bag he came in with that was in the couch. "Did some shopping?" I asked curiously, noticing the popular department store logo on the front of the bag.

"Kind of." He picked up the bag and handed it to me. After what he pulled with the ring I was almost afraid to open it. "I didn't think you'd want to be walking around outside in a wedding dress so I went to your apartment to get you some clothes but Maxie wasn't home so I just bought you something to wear in the mean time."

Great now I had to add considerate to his list of admirable qualities. "You bought me clothes?" I gushed not believing he had actually gone to the trouble of doing that. _Why was he single again?_

"It's nothing fancy. I don't really know what you like and I'm not used to buying women's clothes so I just stuck to sweats."

"Sweats are fine." Setting the now half cup of coffee down, I looked in the bag and there was even a bra and panty set in there. The thought of Dante in a crowded department store picking out women's underwear must have been a sight, and I wished I had been there to see it. "Thank you for not taking advantage and for the clothes and the ring even though I still think it's too much. When you're not trying to get in my pants, you can be very sweet. It's nice to know that side of you exists."

I kissed him on the cheek appreciatively and traces of red flared his face. Moments when Dante was rendered speechless were very rare so I had to take advantage whenever they came around. I was so used to him having a quick come back or some smart mouth line that it made seeing him actually bashful by a complement that much more endearing. He was making me fall so hard for him and he did not even know it.

While I could stand there and stare at him all day, I needed to get myself cleaned up. Maybe a shower would help clear the whirlwind of thoughts and feelings bubbling in my head. As I was about to head to the bathroom Dante grabbed my hand pulling me back to him.

**Dante's POV**

Never had I seen a Yankee's t shirt look as sexy as it did on her. The way the dark blue shirt contrasted her light complexion and swung around her, stopping mid thigh, gave me a new appreciation for my favorite team. Even after drinking herself stupid she still managed to wake up with her hair a mess and make up almost faded to make me want her just as bad as I did last night. Physically, there was nothing I didn't want to do to her and with her: touch her in all the places I knew would make her moan and live out every fantasy she had suggested the night before. The problem was that was not all I wanted to do with her. I liked talking to her and hanging out with her. She always had an opinion and was not afraid to share it even if it meant aggravating me. Her stubbornness drove me crazy but it also meant she was not a push over and could hold her ground. I appreciated those things in a woman.

All of this was going against everything we had agreed upon. Our marriage was for convenience and if I had my way friends with benefits, we were not supposed to actually feel anything for each other. I was not remotely even near being in love with Lulu, but I liked her a lot in more than just a physical way.

She was on her way to the bathroom when I pulled her back to me, her body falling easily against my chest. The earlier curls in her hair now reduced to wide waves shifted as her head slightly leaned sideways watching me curiously. "What's the matter?"

"I think… well not I think but… maybe… do you…" I scratched my head awkwardly not knowing how to say what I wanted to say without sounding like a sap. Why was this so difficult? It wasn't rocket science I just wanted to tell her I liked her and maybe we could hang out for real and get to know each other more. Instead I felt like I was having my first crush. _Come one Dante get a grip, this isn't you. One woman can't have you this tongue tied._

"Do I… what?" Lulu asked expectantly trying to coax the question out of me.

I kept watching her, trying to get the words I really wanted to say out. "Do you…" _Do you want to go out with me? Just say it Dante it's not that hard._ I kept telling myself, but could not find the fortitude to speak my mind. It was one thing to flirt and charm a woman but feelings were something I didn't do. "Want eggs or pancakes for breakfast?" I said quickly, wanting to kick myself for being such a coward.

She shrugged nonchalantly looking as puzzled as I felt by my odd manner. "Umm, doesn't matter you pick."

"Ok."

I went into the kitchen to start making breakfast but Lulu didn't move. The wheels were turning in her head trying to decipher the odd shift in conversation, because she was naturally suspicious like that. "Is that all you wanted to say? Because I got the feeling there was something else."

"Well I was gonna tell you if you needed someone to scrub you back I'm available." My flirtatious nature came back instantly. It was the only way I could cover up the awkward moment where I almost made a fool of myself. Flirting and sex were comfortable and safe for me, outside of that was a world I did not think I was ready for, even of Lesley Lu Spencer was making me incredibly curious about it.

While rolling her bright eyes she shook her head at me. "Should have known." Lulu declared, her laughter fading as she disappeared down the hall, hips swaying in my t shirt. I liked the sound of her laughter here in the morning and the sight of her in my clothes; it was a nice change from living alone for so long and something I could get used to - very used to.

**Comment Comment Comment, good bad or indifferent.**


	10. Hey Boy Can You Go Downtown With Me

**10 – Hey Boy Can You Go Downtown With A Girl Like Me**

**Lulu's POV**

Still hung over I picked at the pancake in my plate. It tasted good, great in fact, but the pangs of nausea were preventing me from fully enjoying it. Dante remained quiet during breakfast and seemed lost in his thoughts. Something was on his mind and I got the feeling he was going to tell me about it earlier but declined at the last minute. I wondered if there was some other stipulation in Sonny's will that I did not know about or he was having second thoughts about the marriage already.

Behind his flirtatious and charming nature, Dante always seemed like a private person and never divulged any personal information, and I never asked. He did not ask about my life either so it was kind of like an unspoken understanding that we did not pry. Whatever was bothering him, hopefully he would tell me soon.

"You were nice enough to make breakfast so I'll do dishes and clean up." I offered getting up and picking up his plate.

I filled the sink about to start the dishes when Dante shut the tap then took my hands from the soapy water and dried them with a dish towel. "The dishes can wait I want to take you somewhere."

Dante had been so full of surprises and unpredictable that I had no idea what to expect. The last times he took me somewhere I wound up finding irresistible cupcakes and the ring of my dreams, God knows what would be next. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He answered cryptically then maneuvered me out the door. I was all for surprises and spontaneity but at this rate I was going to need anti-anxiety medication just to keep my head from spinning with all his random escapades.

* * *

We were on Jason's floor at Harbor View Towers and that put me somewhat at ease that at least Dante was not pulling some new stunt, but I was curious as to why we were here. "Why are we going to see Jason?"

"Who says we're going to Jason's?" Dante responded pulling a key from his pocket and unlocking the door across the hall.

We walked into the spacious penthouse that was already beautifully furnished with subtle earth tones. I remembered stories about Sonny and Carly living here when they were first married. It must have held a lot of memories for Dante if he had spent time here as a kid. Then it really sank in we were in his father's old home and Dante had a key. "Oh no please don't tell me you bought the place."

"No I leased it for the year. You said you needed your own space and this place is big enough that you can have your space but small enough that we won't get lost in here." He responded.

_Was Dante for real? He could not be for real._ I had at least expected him to try to talk me into staying at the loft and sharing a bed; instead yet again he actually listened and did what I wanted. Women struggled for years to find men who actually listened and I managed to marry one yet he was not mine to keep. He loved his loft and the fact that he was giving it up just because I said I needed my space spoke volumes of his character. "I feel bad now, like I'm forcing you to leave your place where you love. That wasn't my intention."

"It's not like I hate it here." He walked past me and opened the balcony doors heading outside.

Despite Dante's nonchalant behavior I wasn't sure if he sincerely did not mind giving up his apartment or he was just being polite to spare my feelings. I followed him outside and the spring breeze whisked around us as we took in the spectacular view of the pier, harbor and all its neighboring shops. "Just because you don't hate it doesn't mean you like it."

An odd chuckle was his initial response and I could almost feel the arrogant comment coming. Dante turned to me and I waited for the line to follow, but surprisingly he reached out to tuck my unruly hair behind my ear. "You worry too much sometimes."

His hand fell slowly from my hair, down the length of my arm to my hip, then curved around it placing his palm against my lower back. Everything about his actions were so fluid and coercing it was easy to get lost in him. In his soulful deep eyes, charming smile, and boyish dimples. Dante could have me naked within five minutes and sometimes I would barely have any recollection of how I had gone from clothed to naked. _Yes he was that good._

My back was against the balcony rails while Dante stood in front of me rendering me trapped between him and the ledge. Instantly my heartbeat raced in anticipation of what he might do. You would think that at 17 stories up I would be more apprehensive about the height, but it was him that was making me anxious. His arms were stretched out on either side of me, holding the ledge and creating a cage around my body. "Are you afraid of heights?"

"No." I answered confidently never blinking. He was playing with my head, luring me in our habitual banter that usually led to us spending hours tangled in each other until we were exhausted. Ever since I had come up with the no sex rule, there had been so much sexual tension between us it felt like a whole other person was in the room.

Dante never blinked either and released me from my make-shift cage, running his hands along my torso, across my hips then around to my butt feeling to his merriment. "So if I were to say… lift you up." And in one swift motion he had a firm grip beneath my butt and hoisted me up wrapping my legs around his waist.

"Dante!" I screamed at the unexpected gesture, locking my arms around his neck and my ankles around his waist. We were more than 100ft up and although I was not afraid of heights one wrong move and I could wind up going head first over the rails.

"Scared?"

Glancing over my shoulder at the ground below everyone looked liked blurred moving objects and I gulped audibly. "N-nnot at all." I fibbed stuttering.

"Good because we have a balcony with a great view. It may not a fire escape but it could work just as well." He suggested with a wry smile, and I hit him on the shoulder for the teasing comment.

There were times I really disliked this man. I disliked him so much that I liked more than I could even explain to myself. He had this way of making me feel multiple opposing emotions concurrently. Like right now I was a little scared and nervous to be almost dangling from a balcony, but also intrigued and hot all over at the spontaneity of it all.

"You're never going to let me live last night down are you?" I seethed in annoyance and embarrassment.

"Not a chance beautiful." He kissed the tip of my nose lightly, then my lips with more fervor and need. Our tongues danced in familiar synchronicity and I soon forgot I was multiple feet above the ground. In fact I did not care. His kisses transcended me to another plane, making me feel like I could float through the air. "Plus I like that you're not quite the good girl you appear to be in public." He remarked quietly barely letting our lips part.

"What makes you think I'm not a good girl?"

Instead of answering Dante hoisted me up further onto the flat surface of the ledge and stood between my legs. There was nothing preventing me from falling now except him holding my waist and my balance. This could potentially be dangerous, but I was a Spencer and taking chances was in innate reaction.

"Because good girls don't typically tell guys they can bend them over a table or a chair." I groaned in mortification at my drunken antics and hung my head in shame. "Don't worry it'll be our little secret." He continued to tease me and I had no choice but to endure it since it was my fault for drinking so much. "I know I agreed to no sex, which I have every intention to keep if that's what you really want, but let's be realistic there is too much attraction between us for us to live together for a year and act like just roommates. So I have a compromise."

My head leaned watching that mischievous glint in Dante's eyes and that scheming grin. He was up to no good as usual, but I was still curious about his proposition. There was no harm in hearing what he had to say since listening did not oblige me to agree to his wishes. Who knows maybe it would be worth my while. "I'm listening."

**Dante's POV**

Sometimes I wondered if she knew how all-consuming she was. It was so easy to become adrift with her, like every rational, stable thought I had held so dear was rendering obsolete. Possibly for the better, piece by piece, Lulu was destroying the man I was and turning me into someone I did not know or understand.

"We can compromise. Set some boundaries on how far you're willing to go for now and I'll stick to them until if or when you're ready to take things further." I rested my forehead against hers and tangled my fingers through her golden tresses hoping to spellbind her in agreement. "Plus a year is a long time: 12 months, 365 days living with you and not touching you might make me physically sick."

"Poor baby," She murmured, her tone anything but sincere. Instead she watched me predatory, like a lion to a lamb. "I wouldn't want to make you sick. Maybe we shouldn't live together at all then." Her nails skimmed my neck and I could feel the graze raking across my throat before settling on my jaw.

"You know we can't do that." Lulu was being a tease, but if she wanted to play that game I would play along with her for now. "Come on beautiful touching is practically harmless." I told her placing my hands beneath her shirt at the base of her spine, and she flinched at the coolness of my hands on her bare skin

"Nothing is ever harmless with you Dante."

Our lurid gazes held boldly without deflection. Lulu was the only woman I could never fully conquer. Most the times once I had a bedded a woman she was wrapped around my little finger, but with Lulu it was always a challenge or a fight, so acquiring her submission usually required calculated moves on my part. At first it did not seem worth the effort. There were hundreds of single women to choose from in New York alone who would be much easier to handle. Unfortunately easy had proven to be boring and highly overrated. I wanted to get under her skin in more ways than one to find what made her tick; I wanted to know what made Lesley Lu, Lulu.

Deciding to prove her statement right I dipped both hands beneath her pants cupping her bottom firmly. "True, but you like me that way otherwise you wouldn't still be here."

She smirked rolling her eyes undeterred. "I'm sitting on a ledge, 17 floors up on a high-rise building. Do you expect me to make any sudden movements?"

"No, but if you don't like something you're not afraid to say so which means you're enjoying this."

"Silence isn't always consent." She countered hotly.

Her amber orbs blazed defiance and I liked that she wanted to make this a challenge because she was in no position to do much of anything. Sparring was like foreplay for Lulu and me. The constant back and forth usually resulted in a smoldering, voracious rapture neither of us could control.

"Can you honestly tell me you're not enjoying this at least a little bit?" My fingers pushed into her lower back following the course of her spine beneath her tank top until I reached her upper back. Moving to the front where her breasts were I used my thumbs to press against the hardened peaks, making slow, purposeful circular motions against them.

Lulu's eyes drifted close for a moment as a strained breath hissed through her teeth. "T-that's not… f-f-fair." She stammered.

Satisfied with her reaction a smile formed on my lips against hers as I traced its outline with my tongue. "Life's not fair beautiful." I told her, my hands continuing their pursuit to induce more aesthetic feelings within her.

Specs of sunlight kissed her skin while the wind blew her hair wildly, making her look like an angel, but not the innocent kind. She seemed more like a fallen angel; the one who was trying so hard to be good but had fallen prey to temptation and gave into her deepest desires.

Shifting my attention to her neck, I nipped at its contour, gliding my tongue across her collarbone. "Do you mind me kissing you here?"

Her head shook 'no', leaning it more so I had more access to her skin. She was definitely that fallen angel, and I wanted to make her fall even more to a place she could never bare to leave. I wanted to make her physically crave me the same way I craved her, in a way that was so simple yet commanding it became a vital need more than a want.

I pushed the tank up further past her breasts and swiped my tongue against the hardened peaks that were pointing even more because of the cold air. "And here?" I asked before enclosing one in my mouth while my hand massaged the other. Her chest rose and fell more rapidly with startling breaths. My questions were left unanswered with words and her responses became encouraging gestures like her fingers threading through my hair then caressing the back of my neck. I wanted to stay there for as long as possible sucking her now rose colored flesh and searing her skin hoping to leave a burn within her she would always equate with me alone.

I sounded possessive but could not help it. Lulu had an uncanny ability to elicit actions and feelings from me that I had never contemplated before. Like right now, the one thing I had never done with any woman I was curious about with her. I wanted her in the most primal way: my head between her thighs, her legs over my shoulders, my fingers deep inside her, my tongue against her heated sex, all triumphantly making her succumb to an intense mind numbing passion there would be no coming back from.

This was no longer possessive it was obsession.

Finally releasing her breasts I pulled the string of her pants loosening the waist, determined to taste her. Lulu placed her hand over mine stilling my actions. "Don't, I'll fall." She appealed, yet her body betrayed the yearning that assailed her. Making sure to keep a protective arm around her I lifted her just enough to ease the pants down her hips until they fell easily at her feet. "Dante." She gasped sounding more desperate and fisting my shirt tightly between her fingers.

She really was worried about me making her fall so I pressed my lips to her ear tenderly trying to soothe her fears. "Trust me, I'd never hurt you. You're always safe with me." I whispered. And I wasn't just saying it to get her to comply; I meant it more than I ever imagined I could.

**Lulu's POV**

My questioning gaze locked with his. Maybe it was lust overriding my normal sensibility but I wanted to trust him and believe in his protecting words. I must have lost my mind because I was in my underwear sitting on a ledge 17 floors up and actually giving into this._ God help me._

Dante placed the soles of my feet firmly against the rails and bent lower in front of me. My fingers clasped around his neck while he spread my legs just enough to get between them. "Hold on and don't let go." He warned before his lips touched my inner thigh sliding up, but precariously close yet achingly far from where I need him to be.

The pad of his thumb grazed lightly across the center of my already dampened panties, then the pressure of his touch increased while he continued to leave his mark on my thighs. There was no way I could not lean back or make any sudden movements so my nails sunk into the back of his neck and shoulders feeling my arousal pool even more.

Pushing aside the panties, his touch turned to warm kisses in the same spot except now there was direct contact. His tongue made slow deliberate strokes along and in between my heated flesh, occasionally darting in and out of my opening. "That feels good." I sighed while Dante piece by piece unraveled me, baring my most primitive self. In the three years we were sleeping together he had never gone down this road before, which was fine, but now I knew what he was capable of I felt deprived. The sight alone of Dante between my legs was beautiful, erotic, sensuous, yet agonizing.

When his tongue came in contact with the most pleasurable place he could find, my hips jerked automatically. I felt his mouth curve into a smile at this new found weakness of mine. Dante slipped one, then two fingers inside of me and moved them slowly until he found a rhythm that worked, all the while exploiting my newfound weak spot with his tongue.

_Breathe Lulu, just breathe. _This was the worst kind of torture because I couldn't move freely, so instead I exacted my building tension on him by grabbing the hair at the back of his head pulling hard. The action did not deter him in the least but instead spurred him on, and as revenge his fingers delved further and harder inside of me while his tongue continuously devoured me like a starving man.

Not being able to help myself, my foot began to rise wrapping around his back as I tried to push myself into him but Dante's free hand was still around my waist to keep me balanced. "Stay still beautiful." He instructed.

"I can't." I panted as the impending climax tightened all my muscles almost to the point of pain. Goosebumps erupted on my skin but I was not cold, in fact I was hot and tingling all over. Every nerve felt exposed like live wires, which would soon ignite into an unmanageable inferno. My eyes hazily fluttered close letting Dante transport me to an ecstasy I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams. "Please…please…Dante please don't make me fall." I pleaded almost crying sensing a loss of control I had never experienced.

My body shook and drifted like a weightless feather in the breeze. Feet fell, fingers loosened and my entire being went limp. I wanted to hold on, but the sensation was too much to fight anymore and I surrendered to unfathomable pleasure.

**Dante's POV**

Lulu bent backwards over my hand that was trying to keep her still but I didn't like how far back she was going and immediately got to my feet grabbing her with both hands pulling her forward to my chest. "I've got you beautiful." I told her holding on tighter than I had ever held anything in my life. Eyes still closed and hair wildly blowing, it was as if she were out of her own body. "I told you you're safe with me."

Lulu laughed quietly then unexpectedly crashed her lips on mine kissing me enthusiastically and dueling her tongue with mine.

Having her in such a personal way heighted the attraction and awakened a previously dormant force that had never surfaced with any woman. I was making more and more promises to her, and not just because I wanted my inheritance but because I wanted to keep them. _Get a grip Dante, you barely know this woman._

Just as unexpectedly as she kissed me she broke the kiss and hopped off the ledge, landing on the balls of her feet like an agile cat. In nothing but the ridden up tank top and underwear she disappeared from the balcony back into the house. "Lulu." I called but she never answered. I repeated her name and again there was no reply, instead she kept walking so I followed her.

Walking through the house, hips swinging seductively she peeked around various corners as if looking for something, then finally entered the kitchen. I thought she was simply exploring the remainder of the house, but that theory was disproven when she hoisted herself onto the island, hands palms down on either side of her, and her bare legs spread. "Kitchen counter was one right?"

"Yeeaahh." I drawled strolling towards her leisurely, captivated by her extroversion.

She pulled the tank over her head and threw it at me leaving her in the same topless state as last night when she was throwing herself at me. "Anything I said last night we can do right now. I'm all yours Dante."

The way she said my name was so sexy and provocative I couldn't believe the same woman had gone from a tease, to panting in culmination, to the aggressor all in about an hour.

"Seriously? Anything?" I asked in disbelief letting my eyes roam over her delicious body.

Smiling devilishly she leaned into me, her lips against my ear. Her tongue swirled around the curve of it, stopping at the lobe and sucking on it. _Forget fallen angel she was the devil. _My eyes rolled at the sensation and I grabbed beneath her knees pulling her directly against my growing hardness. Just when I thought she could not do much of anything else to take me by surprise, Lulu took one of my hands and placed it inside her panties then guided my middle finger within her. "ANYTHING."

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	11. I Don't Want Us To Be The End Of Me

**Glad everyone liked the last chapter it was so much fun to write, and the reviews are womderful they mean so much. Hope you enjoy this, its short but it gets me where i need to go in the story. ENJOY!**

**11 – I Don't Want Us To Be The End of Me**

**Dante's POV**

My Nona had always told me that a woman would be my undoing. Being my father's son with an arrogant streak a mile long I scoffed at her prediction stating that I would never get more caught up with a woman than she was with me. Boy was I wrong. In fruition of my Nona's words Lulu was becoming my undoing leaving me powerless to stop it. A woman was not supposed to have this kind of pull on me. It was not a part of the plan, but as I was quickly learning that what people plan, life unplans.

Lulu worked at unbuttoning my shirt and pulling it from my body in haste. At this point she could do whatever she wanted to me I was not about to make any complaints. _Yes I was that whipped. _"Condom." I heard her say as she set her sights on getting rid of my pants.

A string of curses went through my head when realized I didn't have one. There had not been a lot of dumb moments in my life, but this was surely going to go down as one of the dumbest. Stopping my movements, I confessed regretfully. "I don't have one."

Her hands instantly stopped as well staring at me in disbelief and raising a questioning eyebrow. "What do you mean you don't have one? Doesn't every guy know to have a condom in his wallet since he was like 16?"

"I didn't know you would change your mind." I told her sheepishly, seeking some understanding but there was annoyance clearly present on her features.

If the roles were reversed I would probably be annoyed as well. I had been trying for days to get her back into my bed, and each time she seemed in compliance something bad would happen. First her dress would not come off in the limo, then she was drunk and I didn't feel right about doing it then, and now I had no protection. I was one more incident away from banging my head against the wall in frustration.

"You put me on a balcony and go _there_." Lulu snapped pointing the pointer fingers of both her hands south to between her legs. "How else did you expect me to react?" She asked making it sound like I had given the stupidest explanation of the century.

"I didn't plan this it just happened." I snapped back, then realized I was getting angry and took a breath to calm myself.

Fighting with her was the last thing I wanted to do because if Lulu and I were to seriously argue I had a feeling it would not end well. We both were stubborn and had tempers, so there was no telling what would be said in anger.

Aggravated, I leaned my head again the island's cool marble surface not knowing what else to do. "Sex shouldn't be this difficult." I grumbled.

Lulu hopped off the island placated, and put her shirt back on. I blatantly ogled each shift in her body that was so poised it seemed designed. She tugged on my arm for me to face her and I made no attempt the hide my disappointment because this situation really sucked. "Stop sulking." She instructed with laughter evident in her voice but I was not amused. "Go find the nearest store, pick up a box and come right back. It won't take long."

My arms enclosed around her waist pulling her against me without any effort. Trying to sway her to my way of thinking, I buried my head into the arch of her neck inhaling her scent and kissing the pulse point that that was throbbing constantly. "Or we could just keep going."

Lulu and I were usually careful but the once or twice we had not been, we had not had any unforeseen consequences so I was willing to take the chance one more time. Call me an adrenaline junky, desperate, or just plain stupid, either way I did not want to break the mood just to go get condoms.

I heard her sigh breathlessly as she leaned her head against mine. My teeth gently nudged her skin trailing upwards to her succulent lips, then delved into every crevice of her inviting mouth. It took all the self control I could channel not to pin her to the wall and have my way with her.

Her breaths were strained as I tried to get her back onto the island but she pushed me back hard to get me to stop and I finally gave up. This felt like being a teenager again trying to with a girl, but I never remembered it being this difficult back then.

Acting like a kid who was sent to do chores when everyone else was outside playing, I folded my arms defiantly. Lulu continued to watch me directly showing no signs of relenting so I thought about my options: get the condoms and get laid or don't get the condoms and take yet another cold shower. "I'll be back." I put my shirt back on and re-buttoned my pants, then headed out to get what we needed.

It was beginning to get chilly so I picked up her previously discarded pants from the balcony and shut the doors. On my way out I heard a faint humming coming from Lulu's hoodie draped across the back of the couch. I reached into the pocket and retrieved her cell phone with the intention to give it to her but the name flashing across the screen caught my attention, 'Johnny Hm' it read. The cell finally stopped ringing and the missed call notification appeared, but instead of one miss call I saw 6 missed calls. _What the hell? _At first I tried not to let jealousy get in the way of reason, but I could not think of one logical reason that Johnny would call her 6 times other than the reason I dreaded: they were involved.

What I was about to do was a total invasion of privacy and something I would never do in my sane state of mind, but Lulu was proving to make me act out of nature. I looked through her text messages to see if Johnny texted her but there was nothing. _Come on Dante you're going through her phone, this is pathetic._

"What are you doing?" Lulu's voice sounded behind of me making me almost dropped the device in surprise.

"Your phone was ringing and I was just about to bring it to you." I fibbed, discretely exiting her inbox and returning the phone.

She took the pants from me first and put back on, then took the phone. As soon as it was in her palm it rang once again. I was extremely tempted to take it from her and answer it myself, maybe then Johnny would get the hint and stop calling. For God sakes she just got married couldn't her give her a break.

Lulu looked at the screen, while I attempted to catch a peek as well. Just as I suspected it was Johnny again. "I should take this." Lulu said then disappeared back into the kitchen.

Instead of leaving to get the condoms like I was supposed to, I made myself even more pathetic and inched closer to the kitchen so I could eavesdrop on their conversation. To hell with logic, to hell with reason, to hell with respect for privacy; I was every shade of green on the spectrum with envy. Despite that we had both agreed to not seeing anyone else during the marriage, Lulu obviously had some connection to Johnny that was worth losing one million dollars. What did Johnny have that I didn't that she couldn't seem to let him go?

**Lulu's POV**

Yet again I was going back on my word and caving to Dante's charms. Forget driving myself crazy with this the no sex rule. It was not worth the aggravation so I was giving into my physical needs and would deal with the emotional fallout later.

"Hi." I answered knowing it would be Maxie grilling me on what happened last night. She usually called me from Johnny's home phone if she had randomly decided to spend the night there and didn't have her cell phone charger with her.

"Well it's about time you answered I've been calling all morning. Johnny told me you were drunk last night, does that mean Dante got some?" Maxie rambled, talking a mile a minute as usual.

Sometimes it astonished me how little tact she had, yet it worked for her and it kind of made you drawn to her even more because she tells you like it is whether you wanted to hear it or not.

"No, actually Dante was a gentleman; he let me sleep." Something I was still pleasantly surprised about.

"Really? Hmm rich, charming and has morals, no wonder you like him." She gushed and I rolled my eyes at the comment even though it was kind of true. "So if you weren't rocking Dante's world what were you doing that you couldn't answer the phone all this time?"

While I would have loved to talk about what had happened with Dante, I did not want to divulge too much over the phone so I kept it G-rated for now. "I'll tell you when I come by later."

"Ohhhh something did happen, tell me, tell me, tell me. Was it just as good now that you're married?" Maxie inquired, and I could imagine her practically salivating for information. She was a shameless gossipmonger and hated to be kept out of the loop.

"You're crazy you know that right." I laughed thinking of the scowl that was probably on Maxie's face since I was not giving up the details. "I don't have my car so I need you to pick me up, but later; I have to deal will Dante first."

"I'm sure you'll deal with him alright. I suggest you wear my pre wedding gift; Dante will be yours guaranteed if he sees you in that. And try the handcuffs and a blindfold for mystery."

Since I flat out refused a wedding shower, she thought it was necessary to still give me a gift. Maxie and I were not prudes but she was the more adventurous one of us; that should have been a sign to expect the worst or in this case the kinkiest. When I looked in the box there were black furry handcuffs, a whip, edible panties, warming massage oil, a leather black corset, a garter belt and thigh high stockings. I immediately gave her back the box, but she talked me into keeping it saying it would keep things interesting between Dante and me. This was of course before I told her the marriage was for convenience and not love.

There was no way on God's green earth I was ever going to wear that, but I was willing to try the handcuffs and the blindfold. The whip, leather and edible underwear were a bit much, especially since Dante and I were just hooking up. If it were a committed relationship then I would have put every single item in the box to good use without a second thought.

"I am not wearing that, but I might consider trying the handcuffs and the blindfold." Before I could say anything else there was a low thud nearby, like something had fallen. I assumed Dante had come back and accidentally knocked over something so I cut our conversation short. "I think Dante's back, call me later."

"Ok, have fun." Maxie sing-sang suggestively before ending the call.

Heading back into the living room Dante was in fact there picking up a vase that had toppled. "That was quick." I commented realizing barely 10 minutes had passed since I had been on the phone.

"Didn't go." Was all he said and I waited for the rest of the explanation but there was no further details.

"Well are you going now?" I asked trying to get more out of him, but his demeanor had gone blank and hostile, a far cry from the usual animated and charming Dante.

"No."

_What bit him in the ass?_ Dante had a bad attitude for whatever reason and I did not appreciate getting the brunt of it since I had done nothing to him. He was fine before then all of a sudden he was on edge and acting passive aggressive. I had never actually seen Dante angry but if he was the type to blame innocent people for whatever problem he had then I was not in the mood for it. He could keep that bad attitude to himself.

"I should take you back to your apartment so you can pack." He spoke holding out my hoodie to me. It was the most words he had spoken since the beginning of this downward spiraling conversation.

I snatched it away from him with just as much of that nasty attitude as he was giving. "Don't bother I can find my own way home." Then walked out of the penthouse making sure to slam the door as hard as I could.

It took everything in me not the scream at the top of my lungs in frustration. I could not understand how he could flip from being hot and sexy to cold and stoic in barely 10 minutes. The worst part of it was I had no idea what I had done wrong to piss him off or if it was even me. For God sakes I married him to get him his stupid inheritance, in a church like his mother and grandmother wanted, and I was actually conceding to my no sex rule, what more could he possible want from me? I felt like the more I continued to give in this situation the harder I was getting slapped in the face in return. The fact that I felt something for Dante did not help to ease the sting, but made it hurt a hundred times worse.

I called Maxie to pick me up, but of course the ride did not come without the million and one prying questions. "What happened with you and Dante?"

_I wish I knew. _Was all I could think as I continued to rack my brain figuring out what I could have possibly done wrong. "Honestly I don't know. Everything was fine, then by the time I got off the phone with you he totally flipped on me."

"Are you sure he isn't bipolar like Sonny? You should be careful I think that stuff is genetic." Maxie remarked crassly.

Normally I would have brushed off her nonsensical comments but I was too wrapped up in needing an explanation for his sudden aloof behavior that I was willing to consider anything. Bipolar would be a good explanation but I highly doubted that because I would have seen an episode at least once in the three years. "I don't know but I don't want to stress about it. Dante had his chance and he acted like an ass, so I'm back to my original plan of keeping it strictly business."

"That won't work, you like him too much. If I were you I would give Dante a taste of his own medicine. Walk around in the tiniest pieces of clothing you own and show him what he's missing." She advised deviously.

I was not in the mood to play games with my heart especially if I did not know if I was going to be dealing with the real Dante or this less than captivating version of him. Every step Dante and I made in a positive direction we took two steps backwards. Maybe it was a sign that I needed to stop holding out hope for a change in our relationship. Dante and I were married for convenience and friends with benefits. He showed no signs of wanting to change that so it was time for me to face facts and accept our forlorn fate.

**Dante's POV**

As soon as Lulu left I wanted to go after her, but her conversation with Johnny mulling around in my mind prevented me from moving. I walked around the penthouse trying to get a hold of myself and snap out of this angry daze before I wound up doing or saying something I would regret. My instincts were usually good and Lulu never struck me as a blatant liar so I was totally floored that she would agree to no cheating then negate when the marriage was barely 24 hours old. If one of us was going to give up I figured it would have been me.

I could have called her out on it and ended the deal immediately but the truth of the matter was I needed Lulu more than she probably needed me. It still made no sense why my father would tie my inheritance to a marriage that was proving to be more trouble than it was worth. I was a good son, did what I was supposed to, loved my family and even went to Sunday Mass (mostly when I was being forced or guilt) but the point was I went. I did nothing to deserve this! But trust Sonny Corinthos to control the lives of everyone around him, even from the grave.

What stung the most was hearing her talk about trying blindfolds and handcuffs and God knows what else with Johnny. The thought of them together made me furious and sent my blood boiling to the point I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears. _Snap out of it Dante, she's not worth it._ I tried to calm myself as my fingers tightened around the vase I had previously knocked over, but rage won and I threw the vase against the wall above the fireplace. It smashed to unfixable pieces and I could not help but notice the irony of the crumbled pieces being similar to my situation with Lulu. Perhaps this was unfixable and I needed to back off and let Lulu live her life while I lived mine. _So what she was into Johnny. So what she was probably sleeping with him. So what she might be in love with him. Like I care._ Who was I kidding? I cared way more than I should have partially because of ego and partially because I liked her more than any other woman in my life, and wanted her to myself.

Maybe this was payback for all the times I had slept with women and not called ever, or cut them lose the moment they got too clingy. In my defense I was for the most part honest and told them I wanted nothing serious; it was not my fault they got attached. I remembered all the times I had given Lulu the same speech as all those other women: 'this was just friendly – friends with benefits – nothing more', and now I was acting like a jilted lover over a woman who was never truly mine to begin with. Karma really was a bitch.

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	12. You're So Damn Sexy When You're Mad

**Hi everyone I know it's been a while but life is hectic so bear with me. Thanks for the great comments they keep me so inspired to write because I know people actually like the story, so keep them coming. And Happy Valentines Day, ENJOY!**

**12 – You're So Damn Sexy When You're Mad**

**Dante's POV – May 1****st**

You know that saying people in glass houses should not throw stones; I really should have kept that in mind when dealing with Lulu. When it came to the silent treatment I was good at dishing it out but the worst at taking it. We had been living in the penthouse for about two weeks and Lulu had literally spoken no more than 7 words to me. The first three days we had been giving each other the silent treatment, then by the end of day four I could not take us acting like this was monastery so I went to her room and tried to initiate a conversation... big mistake.

_On my way up the stairs I practiced lines in my head of how I could break the ice with Lulu. I had not forgotten about the conversation with Johnny and it still stung, but we were adults and could at least be cordial if we had to live in the same house. My hand gripped the doorknob and I exhaled a breath as if I were about to face the worst. Just as the door opened so did Lulu's bathroom door and she walked out stunningly naked, dripping wet from head to toe. Instead of using my common sense and immediately leaving I stood immobilized staring like I had never seen a naked woman in my life. My eyes bored into her body watching droplets cascade across every surface and curve. I wish I were those droplets._

_Lulu had not realized I was in the doorway watching her like some teenage boy seeing female body parts in living color for the first time. Her body was the epitome of what boys dreamed about the moment they hit puberty: smooth skin, perky breasts, flat stomach, and great legs. She went towards her bed to reach for the towel that lay across it and instantly spotted me staring. Initial surprise quickly faded to fury causing her to throw a rolled up magazine at me yelling "Get the hell out of my room."_

_The magazine hit me square in the chest snapping me out of my trance. "I'm sorry, sorry." I told her shutting the door as quickly as possible. Just as it shut I heard something else hit it with a forceful thud. Maybe breaking the ice was not going to be as easy as I thought._

That was the first and last time Lulu had spoken to me all week. What made the situation worse for me was that she had a habit of coming downstairs in the morning in a tank top and panties that always had something written across butt. The first morning the back of her panties read 'Quality Approved' with a big check mark; the next morning it was 'Naughty', then it was 'Bite Me', by day four it was 'Sexy'.

I sat around the island drinking coffee when Lulu came downstairs in her usual morning ensemble: tank top and panties. This time it was a yellow tank top that stopped just at her waist leaving about an inch of her midriff bare, and boy shorts of the same color hugging her assets. She opened the fridge and leaned over to get something; it was then I noticed 'Kiss It' in bright pink glitter letters across her butt and pink glitter lips next to the words. _How many panties with writing did she own? _The writing on her underwear was getting more and more suggestive, and I cringed every morning of what would come next. I was a man and there was only so much I could physically take seeing her dressed like this every morning. If she ever wore underwear that said 'Fuck Me' I would be so screwed.

Shamelessly I admired the way the material curved with her and accentuated all her best parts as she roamed around the kitchen getting breakfast. Maybe it was my errant thoughts getting the best of me but every move Lulu made was in captivating slow motion. Still bent over and shifting from one foot to the other, which made her ass and hips swing seductively, she reached for her ingredients and placed them on the counter. Ear-buds were in her ears and every so often her head would bop to whatever song she was listening to while she spread strawberry cream cheese on her bagel. Next her finger slid across the blade wiping off the remainder of the cream cheese then putting it in her mouth gingerly licking it clean. I could think of other places to put that cream cheese I would love to lick. Making matters worse she stood on her tip toes trying to reach a mug from the upper cabinets. That move made her skimpy boy shorts ride up even further exposing the lower parts of her butt cheeks. _Really God what did I do to deserve this?_

Totally exasperated I ran my fingers through my hair pulling at the strands and struggling to look anywhere but at her. It could have worked if the tank top did not keep rising and the boy shorts were not leaving half her butt exposed. My vision settled on the back of her thighs watching the muscles contract as her body elongated further; reminding me of the way they tensed around my head when I had her on the balcony. The experience was still fresh in my mind: her gasping moans, her sinking nails in my neck, her exotic taste. It was worth it in every way; I just never thought that days later we would be ignoring each other… well more like she was ignoring me at this point.

My pants painfully tightened and the kitchen seemed degrees hotter watching each twist and arch. Every part of me was aching just to touch her all over and I longed for that euphoria that could only be achieved when I was submerged deep inside her.

Not being able to take seeing her stretch anymore I got up from my seat in haste and reached the cup for her, setting it down on the counter forcefully. "Here."

Lulu neither said thank you, nor even looked at me in acknowledgement, she simply left the empty cup on the counter, took the plate with her bagel and went upstairs. I had no idea how Maxie survived living with her, she was such a pain in the ass. _But you like that she's a pain in the ass._ My inner self resounded. I needed to get out of here before I busted a blood vessel or lost my mind.

**Lulu's POV**

I was being a bitch to Dante and I knew it, but honestly I did not care. In my mind he deserved it. I had given him carte blanche to basically have his way with me and he acted like he had better things to do. After everything I had done for him if this was the way he was going to treat me, like I was a nonentity, then he was going to see the brutal Spencer side of me in full force. As amusing as it was to mess with Dante's head, it was also frustrating to be in the same house with him all the time, knowing he was just down the hall and I couldn't take advantage. After the way he treated me there was no way I would give in first this time. This was now all on Dante and it would take more than an apology to make up for the way he treated me.

Maxie had talked me into coming to the gym with her to work off of my aggravation. I had never set foot in a gym in my life, and neither had Maxie, so I was surprised to hear that she was all of a sudden in a hurry to get fit. She did not have an ounce of fat on her so I really did not see the point, but I promised to show my face at least once so I was fulfilling my friendly duty.

When I parked in lot facing the building I saw Maxie leaning against her car waiting for me a few spaces away. Of course she was dressed in some trendy black and pink racer back top, long black pants with pink stripes down the sides and the matching black and pink Nike Shox sneakers. The first time I had seen her in sneakers EVER. Trust Maxie to be coordinated even when working out. Although I was not a fan of pink I had to admit it was cute.

"Morning, nice outfit." I complemented walking towards her.

"You're in a good mood. Still tormenting Dante I guess."

I smiled brightly at her perception, very pleased with my progress of driving Dante nuts. "Absolutely. I thought he was going to implode this morning when I kept stretching for a cup." As the days passed it was getting easier to unnerve him and I could see his threads of self control slowly snapping.

Maxie shook her head at me like she was ashamed of my actions, but I knew she was proud because she would do the exact same thing. "And people say I'm bad. How long are you planning to keep this up?"

I shrugged nonchalantly not really having an end sight in mind. "Until I get bored or until he cracks, whichever comes first."

We walked into the building and the posh interior was vastly different from the drab exterior. It looked nothing like a gym and felt more like a spa. The reception area had silverish grey colored walls with black mod accent furniture. A few bamboo plants were scattered here and there giving the room a tranquil feel. What struck me the most were the pictures on the walls; they were all of women doing various striking tricks and contortions on stripper poles. Some of them seemed to defy gravity: like the woman hanging upside down by only one foot wrapped around the pole. _She must have a very happy man._ They were kind of weird for a gym but to each their own.

"Hi ladies my name is Dawn how can I help you?" The pleasant receptionist who looked to be in her late 20's asked.

"We're here for the beginner's class." Maxie told her.

She handed us both clipboards with forms attached and pens. "I need you to fill out these forms first."

Maxie and I sat in the black arm chairs and proceeded to fill out the forms. At first it was your basic general information like name, address and phone number etcetera, but when I turned the back page there was a page of terms and conditions and a waiver denying their culpability if we got hurt. I never knew gyms had all these stipulations, but I guess it was for their legal protection.

We returned the completed forms, then Dawn looked them over making sure all the necessary spaces were filled. "Thanks ladies. The beginners' class is right through that door on your left. Dena your instructor should be here soon."

"You signed us up for aerobics?" I asked Maxie hearing that we had an instructor. I assumed we would hit the treadmill and elliptical, and possibly a few light weights, I did not think we were taking a class.

"Aerobics?" Dawn repeated with laughter. "We don't do aerobics here. This is a…"

"We should get to class." Maxie cut her off, dragging me along before Dawn could explain further.

This was all making me very suspicious and judging from Maxie's abrupt cease of the conversation she was up to something. Whenever Maxie dragged me on one of her random jaunts, 90 percent of the time I wound up in some crazy situation.

I walked through the door behind her and stopped midstride, mouth open stunned when I saw the large brightly lit room with women and about 30 poles stretching from roof to floor. Maxie had this fake innocent expression like she had no idea why I would be so shocked.

"Maxie what is this?" I asked dumbfounded, wondering if I had stepped into a strip club. Like the high end clubs where governors, congressmen and other prominent figured went since they could not be seen in the known clubs. Not that I thought Maxie would actually take her clothes off for money but you could never put anything past her.

"It's a pole dancing class."

"A pole dan – you must have lost your mind. I'm getting out of here." I announced in a hushed yell, already heading in the opposite direction to leave.

It was bad enough that I was basically marrying for money, and now I was at a pole dancing class. This was not a good sign for my life. What ever happened to simple and boring? I missed those days when my biggest concern was making sure shoot locations were booked and layouts reached the printers on time. Now I was caught up in a fake marriage, sexually frustrated and being talked into a stripper class by my best friend. This was just absurd.

Maxie jumped in front of me holding out both her hands to stop my exit. "You can't leave me here by myself. You promised to come with me."

"I promised to work out with you not be a stripper in training." I corrected trying to side step her, but she kept blocking my way causing us to start this game of bob and weave like we were playing flag football.

"It's not like that, I heard it was really good exercise." I folded my arms and rolled my eyes giving her my best 'yeah right' face. _Good exercise my foot._ "It's true I did. It seemed much more fun than spending an hour on a boring treadmill. Plus think about how much more intrigued Dante would be if he knew you could swing on a pole like a pro. You know guys like that whole good girl by day stripper by night thing."

Now it was starting to make sense, this was for a guy .i.e. Johnny. Maxie would never come right out and say she was doing this for him because of everything that happened with the three of us. Johnny was more of an awkward subject than a sore subject, and Maxie never divulged too many details of their relationship even though I told her repeatedly I was fine with them dating. Of course I did not want to hear about their sexual escapades; that was pushing it, but simple stuff that we usually talked about like dates, she was reluctant to tell me. I had to essentially pry it out of her because if she wanted me to tell her about Dante, I needed some details about her and Johnny too. I was truly happy for them and I hoped they worked and found whatever they were searching for in each other.

"Please stay, I'll owe you a favor." Maxie begged.

I thought about the prospect of having one more skill to drive Dante crazy with. Pole dancing could come in very handy if I used it right. If me bending over in a few skimpy outfits in the morning was making him all hot and bothered, I wondered how he would react if he saw me doing some of those tricks that adorned the walls. He would probably pop a blood vessel. This class might be a good thing after all.

"Fine but you owe me big for this." I agreed heading back into the room with her as she squealed in delight.

It was a beginners' class so it could not be that bad.

**Penthouse**

I had a new respect for exotic dancers. If it takes that much dexterity and body strength to swing on a pole these women were definitely fit and talented. My arms and legs were so sore it was challenge to move. I lost count of the number of times I had fallen off that pole, but I was not the only one so I did not feel so bad. Maxie was in just as much pain as I was when she left. For a beginner class it was more intense than I expected, but Dena, our instructor, was really nice and assured us that the first class was the worst. If we kept up with it our bodies would become accustomed and it would get better. Dena actually used to be a stripper who was dancing to take care of her daughter but as her daughter got older Dena wanted to set a better example so she quit that life and made a new life using the skills she had acquired from dancing and high school gymnastics.

Besides the fact I kept falling flat on my butt, I actually enjoyed myself and would probably go back. Once the soreness went away that is. I kicked off my shoes near the door, dropped the gym bag and collapsed in the couch too lazy to make it up the stairs yet. Either I was very tired or this couch got more comfortable than I remembered; either way my eyes were drifting close.

Just as I was wafting into a comfortable sleep there was a knock at the door. I did not move, hoping the person would leave but instead the knock became more forceful. "I know you're there Lulu, open the door."

I had gone almost two weeks without seeing Tracy, I should have figured she would drop by eventually to meddle and tell me yet again how bad Dante was for me. Reluctantly and with more effort than necessary I dragged myself from the couch to open the door. "Yes Tracy."

She impatiently tapped her foot while I waited for her to explain what she was doing at my door. "It's about time. Do you know where your father disappeared to? Half the money from the Haunted Star is missing AGAIN."

_Was she seriously coming to me for this?_ It was my dad's MO to leave at the drop of a hat; a fact of life we had no choice but to accept. Not even my mother could keep him around. "I have no idea, but you know he always comes back once the money runs out. I figured you'd be used to it by now."

"I keep foolishly hoping for change."

"Sorry." I apologized softening and feeling bad for her.

Although she knew what she was getting herself into by marrying my father, I had to remind myself that Tracy was still relatively new to the disappearing act compared to me and Lucky. There would always be that hope that this would be the last adventure and he would actually stick around this time. I knew what it was like because I spent most of my life feeling that way. It was not until I became an adult that I had finally given up hope that Luke Spencer would ever change. It would behoove her to realize that as well.

Tracy held my arm turning it back and forth. "What is that?" She asked inspecting the area.

I looked at both my arms noticing the purple blotches forming on my skin. Those falls I took from the pole must have been harder than I thought. "I fell a couple of times." I explained.

"Come on Lulu you fell? That's the oldest excuse in the book. I knew Sonny's spawn was no good. There is no way you're staying here." Tracy ranted.

I could not fight the smirk easing its way onto my lips because Tracy was absolutely hilarious fussing about Dante being no good and just like Sonny. While I was grateful that she cared it was absurd to think that Dante would hit me and even more absurd that I would still be here if he did. I could put up with a lot but abuse: physical or verbal was an instant deal breaker.

Tracy continued to rant while my smirk escalated to outright laughter. "By the time my lawyers get done with him he'll be in a cage like he animal that he is. Why are you laughing?"

"Because you're crazy! Dante didn't do anything to me, I honestly fell." Barely able to catch my breath from laughing so hard, I leaned against to door frame still finding the humor in the situation. "I appreciate the concern but I'm fine. I have some things to do so I'll call you if I hear from my dad." I said starting to close the door. If I had to listen to anymore of this I would keel over on the floor.

Holding her hand against the door she tried to stop me from closing it. "Lulu you need to press charges." She reiterated, but I moved her hand and assured her I was fine.

"There are no charges, bye Tracy."

Thinking about Tracy's insinuation some more, the more ridiculous it seemed. My taste in men was not that bad that I would ever stand for someone hurting me. After what I had gone through with Logan when he came at me with an axe, it almost cost me my sanity and Johnny his freedom so there was no way I would ever put myself in that kind of situation again.

**Dante's POV**

This was a damn shame. I was a grown man reduced to sitting in my car dreading going into my house. Chances were that Lulu was home prancing around in those teeny tiny outfits that left nothing to the imagination, and if I had to see it one more time I was going to wind up breaking that no cheating rule myself. I had no right to dictate what she wore so I was basically stuck until she felt like wearing proper clothes again.

Reluctantly I left the car and walked towards Harbor View Towers disparagingly like a man being sent to the electric chair. Not knowing what to expect, I tried to mentally prepare myself for the worst, whether it was skimpy loungewear or more silent treatment.

"Are you Dante Falconari?" A uniformed officer asked just as I was pulling the door to the building.

"Yeah." I answered not paying much attention to him.

He grabbed my hand from the door handle and latched them in handcuffs. "Dante Falconari you are under arrest for the assault of Lesley Lu Spencer."

Automatically I fought the handcuffs because nothing about this made sense. "Is this some kind of joke?" I had never assaulted a woman in my life and I definitely was not about to start with a woman I actually cared about. "You've got to be kidding me. I didn't assault Lulu, call her ask her."

"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law." The officer continued to read me the Miranda rights and all I could think was would Lulu be this mad at me that she would file false charges against me. It was one thing to taunt and ignore me but have me arrested was going too far. I did not want to believe that she could be this vindictive, but Carly was her cousin and the most malicious woman I had ever come across. My only hope was that the trait was not genetic.

**PCPD**

The stupid cop hauled me into the PCPD handcuffed like some criminal when I was innocent. I kept trying to explain that I had not done anything, and that this was some mistake, but the buffoon was not hearing it. Despite being career criminals I could finally understand why my father and Jason hated them so much. They were a bunch of idiots.

Lulu's brother stopped the stupid cop in his tracks. "That's my brother in law. What was he arrested for?"

"Assault of Lesley Lu Spencer." The officer told him.

Lucky instantly grabbed me by the shirt collar, anger blazing in his eyes. He had the same fierce look Lulu did when she got mad. "You hit my sister?" He bellowed pushing me against a nearby wall.

"No! Lucky I never touched her. I swear to you man, I wouldn't hurt Lulu like that." I implored explaining myself. Having a little sister as well, I would be just as upset if I thought someone had put their hands on her in a violent way.

Unwillingly and obviously still upset he let me go and shoved me into the chair, and told the officer to handcuff me to the desk. Lulu had not told me much about her family after I briefly met them at the wedding, so I was not sure if I should be panicked that he was going to try to beat the hell out of me. Getting into an altercation with Lulu's brother who was also a cop would not bode well for my future.

Just when I thought things could not get any worse Lulu's stepmother Tracy who hated me like poison, came into the station bellowing like she owned the place. Once she caught sight of me in handcuffs, her grin widened like a kid on Christmas morning. "Good that animal is being put in a cage where he belongs. I'm going to make sure you rot behind bars for what you did to Lulu."

"How many times do I have to say this? I DID NOT DO ANYTHING!"

"Explain the bruises on her arms then." Tracy argued.

Lucky turned an inquisitive glare on me. "What bruises?" But I was just as confused as he was and had no explanation.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about; I haven't seen Lulu all day." Tracy rolled her eyes in disbelief and it was enraging me more by the second. _Who did she think she was looking down her nose at me? _The Quartermaines weren't a squeaky clean family. From what I heard they were the most dysfunctional family in town. "You're all freakin' lunatics. You arrest me when I don't remember seeing a warrant. And the last time I checked I was supposed to be given a phone call. At this rate I might be the one pressing charges against you."

Talking to Tracy was like talking to a brick wall. Her mind was made up about me and there was nothing I could do to change it. Lucky was my only chance to be the person of reason. I was never one to care about people's approval but I certainly did not want Lulu's family to think I was an abuser.

"Let him make his phone call." Lucky ordered.

When it comes to people in my family getting arrested the cardinal rule was keep your mouth shut until a lawyer is present. I had already broken that rule so I could not make things any worse for myself. In my opinion, there was no point to call Diane or Alexis because I had not committed any crime. The only person who could straighten this out was Lulu. Even though we were not speaking there was no way she would let her stepmother press false charges against me. _I hope_.

The phone rang for what seemed like ages and just as I was about to hang up she answered. "Hello."

"Lulu don't hang up." Was the first thing I said in case she decided to disconnect the call after recognizing my voice. "I'm at the PCPD, I got arrested."

"Last time I checked I wasn't a lawyer." She replied making no attempt to hide the lack of concern.

Before I could explain further there was a click and the phone disconnected. Like a fool I repeated 'hello, hello' hoping to hear something on the other end, but there was nothing but a dial tone. I stood there in awe, my mouth gaping open that she could be this cold. I had heard of holding a grudge, but this was ridiculous. I was not even 100 percent sure why she was mad for so long in the first place. Since Lulu was going to be of no help, it was up to me to me to get myself out of this situation; but with the way Tracy and Lucky were glaring menacingly, I was starting to feel like a goner.

**Lulu's POV**

For a split second I considered leaving Dante to get himself out of jail but unfortunately my conscience would not let me turn my back on him when he was in trouble. So I dragged myself out of bed and drove down to the PCPD breaking a number of speed limits that could have gotten me arrested right along with him.

I loved my brother dearly and I tried to pass no judgments about his choice of profession, but the PCPD did not have the most superb track record when it came to arresting and prosecuting the right criminals. In a small town like Port Charles your last name held more clout than your character, and it could mean the difference between being detained for the slightest infraction or repeatedly getting away with murder.

Walking into the station I saw Dante handcuffed to a desk while Tracy and Lucky surrounded him ominously like vultures. If Tracy was involved it could be nothing good for Dante. "Why was Dante arrested?"

"You don't know?" Lucky asked me and I shook my head dumbfounded, waiting for an explanation. "For assaulting you."

I instantly whirled around to Tracy, furious that she would do something like this. "You told the police Dante hit me? After I distinctly told you he didn't." I barked at her. It was fine if she wanted to hate Dante, but falsely accusing him of something he did not do was going too far.

She showed no remorse for the error of her ways, and I had no idea why I was surprised by that. She was a Quartermaine and they were known to cross unspeakable boundaries to get what they wanted. "I knew you were lying for him, just like Carly and every other woman did for Sonny. I am not going to let you become collateral damage to a Corinthos."

"My last name is Falconari not Corinthos." Dante commented with a smirk. For someone who was arrested he seemed to be enjoying this situation a little too much.

"Shut up, I was not speaking to you." She snapped at him.

Dante leaned back in the chair comfortably, continuing to smile his usual charming smile but it was having an adverse effect on Tracy. She looked as if she were about to reach across the desk and wring his neck. Tracy was usually smug and composed when it came to her adversaries so I could not keep myself from smiling either that he was getting under her skin so easily.

"I appreciate the concern but Dante would never hit me and if he did I definitely wouldn't try to protect him. These charges are bogus so someone needs to get the cuffs off my husband before I call a lawyer to sue this entire department for harassment." I announced raising my voice since threats seemed to be the only language the cops around here understood.

Tracy grumbled disapprovingly. "You already sound like a mob wife. Carly must be giving you pointers." It was all out of love but she needed to back off. I was quite capable of taking care of myself when it came to Dante; he was not that difficult to handle.

Lucky got the keys from another officer and released Dante. "Sorry about before."

"Don't apologize. I have a sister too and I'd probably react the same way if I thought someone hurt her." Both men shook hands and that was the end of that. Sometimes I envied how easy it was for guys to put their differences behind them, while most women could hold grudges for decades even against people we cared about.

On our way out of the station Dante leaned in closer and quickly whispered for my earls only. "This might not be the time but you're really sexy when you take charge."

Biting the inside of my cheek, I tried not to smile, but I could not stop the flush of red from highlighting my cheeks. _Damn him for being so darn cute._ I had to remind myself I was still mad at him, but letting my defenses down to get him out was making me miss his funny, charismatic energy. We lived in the same house and I missed him like he was a million miles away, how crazy was that?

**Dante's POV – Penthouse **

When Lulu walked into the police station about 15 minutes after I called, it was like the heavens had opened and my angel of mercy appeared. I honestly thought she was going to leave me to fend for myself, but once again she came through when I needed her. Loyalty was a hard trait to find and Lulu no doubt possessed it in spades if she was willing to put aside her anger to keep me out of jail. Then there was the fact that it was a complete turn on to see her take charge and stand up to her stepmother. When she told them to get the handcuffs off me before she sued, my mind went straight to the gutter with her on top of me, controlling and domineering. _How could I not fall for this woman?_

One thing playing on my mind was the bruises Tracy was referring to. Lulu had been walking around in little clothes since we moved in so if she had bruises I would have seen them. Up to this morning there were no marks, meaning whatever happened must have been today. I did not want to consider the possibility of someone hurting her because it would undoubtedly set me off. Johnny came from a notoriously violent family but would he really go that far?

Lulu tossed her car keys on the table, and was making her way towards the stairs. We had not spoken much in the car but I was hoping we were on friendlier ground after what just happened. "Can I ask you something?" I asked, treading lightly with her tolerance. She stopped hesitatingly and gave me her attention coming back in front of me. "Tracy mentioned you had bruises on your arms, where did they come from?"

"I fell a couple of times." She answered easily. I was skeptical and tentatively eased the sweater off one of her shoulders. Purple marks tainted her otherwise spotless skin and my brows knitted in concern. Tracy's assumption was making much more sense now. She could have fallen but it also looked like someone could have grabbed her too hard or hit her. Lulu pulled the sweater back up when I started touching her arm. "Stop looking at me like I'm lying."

"I'm sorry it just sounds like a cliché excuse. I know we're not getting along very well right now, but if someone hurt you, you can tell me; I'll take care of it."

Her lips curved into a smile, the first one I had seen in almost two weeks. _I missed seeing her smile._

"What are you going to do, put a hit out on him?" My arms folded irritated that she thought this was a joke but I was dead serious. If someone really did hurt her, the ruthless side of me I hated to admit I inherited from Sonny would surface and I would use every resource at my disposal to make him pay. "Calm down vigilante. I really did fall. Maxie talked me into trying something new and it wasn't as easy as we thought so I wound up with some bruises. She probably has the same ones."

"Honestly?"

She rolled her eyes throwing up her hands in annoyance. "Yes, I swear. Call Maxie if you don't believe me jeez. In case you forgot I can take care of myself Dante. I've been doing it before I met you and…"

Lulu talked way too much. At the risk of getting slapped, kicked or worse I grabbed her and kissed her making up for the days we had not been speaking; and to shut her up. Just as I expected, she pushed me off and raised her hand to hit me but I caught it mid air. "From passive aggressive to violent. I rather this version though, much sexier"

"I'm not passive aggressive." She seethed trying to drag her hand away but I pinned it behind her back along with the other hand. "If you don't let me go I'm going to kick you somewhere that's really going to hurt."

Her threats meant nothing to me; in fact it was really amusing to see her try to fight me. Eventually she would get tired and stop fighting, at least so I thought. "Try it, I dare you." Not being one to back down from a challenge she raised her leg to make good on the threat and in the same moment I let go one of her hands and spun her around so that her back was against my chest. I had both hands crossed around herself holding her arms in place so she could not elbow me. "Your move beautiful." I goaded feeling the fiery fury emanating from her.

Lulu continued to flail in my arms but I had an easy hold on her so it was pointless for her to try. "Let me go." She commanded.

Since she was not going to go anywhere until I decided to let her go, I used the opportunity to bargain a deal. "Only if you promise to call a truce and stop walking around half naked. Unless you're in my bed, then feel free to be as naked as you want."

"You're incorrigible."

Her feet were kicking almost off the ground and it was getting more difficult to keep a hold on her without causing her any bodily harm, which I had no intention of doing. Lulu was a lot stronger than she looked and I had to give her credit for tenacity. A rebel who would fight you with her last dying breath if it came to it. Her courageous spirit gave me some courage of my own to ask the question I should have asked days ago. Hell I should have done this the first week we met. _Another one of my stupid moments._ "Go out with me tomorrow. We could have dinner in the city, and explore."

A sarcastic laugh was her first response. "That almost sounded like you were asking me out on a date." She remarked.

Rejection was not a common occurrence for me so I was a little hurt by her laughter. "I am."

Lulu stopped moving and went completely still. I let her go half expecting her to bolt at the first chance, but she turned around watching me curiously. Intrigue washed over her face trying to discern my true motives. "This is one of your games to get me to sleep with you." She concluded somewhere between a question and a statement. Nothing I said would prove my sincerity, so all I could hope for was a chance.

"No games, no bars or noisy clubs. I want to take you to a nice restaurant, sit down and have a conversation with you. Think you can manage that?"

She ran her fingers through her disheveled hair, and then started up the stairs ignoring me once again. _Great so now we were back to square one._ I had not gone on an actual planned date that did not involve a bar or a club in years. Conversation, soft lighting and dressing up were not my thing, but Lulu deserved the respect of having a nice evening. I wanted to do that for her and secretly I wanted it to be the first of many.

Lulu had shot my expectations to hell by ignoring my advances. I guess I was getting a taste of my own medicine after the way I had treated some of the women I met. To make the sting of rejection hurt less I poured myself a drink planning to drown my sorrows. I swallowed the harsh alcohol, preferring that burn to the burn of rejection. Still in pursuit of intoxication I poured another and as I put the glass to my lips Lulu's voice stopped me.

"I'll go out with you." I heard from behind me. When I looked around to make sure I heard correctly, the only sound I was met with was footsteps running up the remainder of the stairs.

**Comment Comment, Comment good, bad or indifferent.**


	13. Let Me Be Your Fantasy

**13 – Let Me Be Your Fantasy**

Dante's POV

_Has anyone ever died from a kiss?_ I racked my brain trying to think of history's legends, both real and fictional, who had died from a kiss. None came to mind; therefore I could at least have the pleasure of laying claim to being the first. My senses were on overload all because of her. Her body, warm and sensuous on top of me, covering me like the most luxurious silk blanket made me need her so bad it hurt.

"Lulu are…"

Pressing a finger against my lips she quieted me. "Shhh, we called a truce remember?" Her voice purred slinking down the length of my body, leaving an invisible trail with her lips. When she reached below my belly button, my breath caught leaving my voice useless for speech. All I could do was nod to her question. "Consider this my peace offering."

Before I could attempt to respond her mouth encircled my manhood, starting from the head and working her way down like a pro. "God." I moaned, hearing my own heartbeat in my ears. "So good beautiful."

Impulsively easing my fingers through her hair, I pulled it to the side away from her face, making her movements more visible. _Damnit that was a mistake._ Watching her head bob up and down over me constantly, did not help with the self control. I wanted to last longer, I wanted to feel more of her precise movements, but I was losing restraint.

"Don't stop." I whispered closing my eyes and relishing in the irresistible feel of her actions.

THUD, THUD!

Ignoring whatever noise that was I focused on what she was doing. If talent like hers could be bottled and sold she would make a fortune. "So so good."

THUD, THUD! "Dante?"

_Go away Lulu. Huh Lulu?_ Realization that she could not be in here and on the other side of the door at the same time made me shot up out of the bed in a cold sweat, panting for breath. Her hair, her skin, he mouth, that felt so real, too real for me to be dreaming, yet I was painfully aware that I was awake and alone by the uncomfortable bulge pressing through my boxer briefs. My head dropped to my hands trying to figure out how my mind managed to conjure up visions that looked and felt so real.

"Dante are you in there?" Lulu called again.

I pulled the covers up around my waist to hide the proof of my naughty thoughts. "Yeah come in."

Lulu came into my room already dressed for work. A black and white wrap dress fit closely around her body along with a short black sweater. Discretely I glanced at her feet, arched higher with black peep toe pumps. _Why did she have to look so pretty all the time?_

"Sorry if I woke you." She apologized. When I glanced at the clock it read 9:07. I usually did not sleep this late on a weekday so I must have been really out of it. "About dinner tonight, what time are we going?"

"Umm… 7." I told her flippantly hoping she would get out of here so I could take a freezing cold shower and relieve some of this built up pressure within my extremities.

To my displeasure and further discomfort she did not move.

"You don't look so good. Are you ok?" Leaning against the edge of the bed she placed her hand to my forehead, then my neck. "And you're sweating."

The gesture caused a painful spasm to shoot through my groin and I flinched away from her touch pulling the covers closer. "I'm fine it's just hot in here."

I had to use every form of self control I could muster to not pull her into the bed with me and do all sorts of unconscionable things to her. There was no way I could go a year living with her without sex; it just was not going to happen. Something had to give before I completely lost my mind because at this rate I would not be able to even be in the same room with her.

"Do you want me to open a window?" Her hand haphazardly dropped to my covered thigh and I hissed in a breath at the discomfort her nearness and touch was causing. Lulu who was obviously confused by my actions removed her hand quickly. "What's wrong with you?"

I was at least grateful that her hand moved because if she kept on touching me I would lose it. It still took a lot of effort to keep my thoughts from straying to a very erotic place so as not to embarrass myself. "N-n-nothing. Go to work, I'll be fine." I practically begged. _I definitely would be fine if you got the hell out of here and stopped looking so cute in everything you wear._

"Ohhh-kayyy." She drawled skeptically raising an eyebrow. Concern was written on her face but thankfully she did not bother to pry and simply left.

As soon as the door closed I dashed from the bed into the bathroom and turned the shower to cold hoping to cleanse the aching need my body had for her. If cold water did not snap me out of this then I was going to have a serious problem tonight.

**Lulu's POV - Crimson**

As much as I hated to admit it, my mind was on Dante again. When he was not making me angry, he was being incredibly sweet, and when he was not being sweet, he was making me worry. Like this morning: his bizarre and jumpy reactions had me concerned. It was a far cry from the composed man who had been seducing me for three years. _Maybe he just wasn't feeling well._ I told myself. We all have off days, so this was probably one of his.

I really hated Mondays. It is the start of the week, the end of the weekend, and the day Kate mostly felt the need to go into full bitch mode. Granted she did that every day but Mondays were especially bad. The only thing to look forward to was my date with Dante tonight. When he asked me out I was caught completely off guard and thought it was some kind or joke or ploy to get me to sleep with him. I still was not convinced this was not a scheme, but I would humor him anyway mostly because I was curious; and I still really liked him.

"Finally made it out of bed I see." Maxie commented as I sat at my desk and started to answer emails via my phone while the computer stated.

"Reluctantly, but I didn't want to hear Kate threatening to fire us AGAIN." After all when one of us did something wrong both Maxie and got the blame. To Kate we were like a two headed person and as she repeatedly reminded us, very expendable.

Maxie turned her chair towards me, a sure sign that she was either going to divulge some titillating gossip or dig into my business. "Sooo are you excited about your date with Dante tonight? This is your first real date with him so you have to make sure you wear something out of this world gorgeous."

Excited was not the word I would use, it was more like anxious. Dante's and mine's usual hangouts offered us very little chance to talk and get to know each other, which I assumed was the point. Not knowing too many details about the 'friend' made the friends with benefits situation easier. Now that we were actually going to be on a date where we would be forced to interact beyond what I personally referred to as the three F's – fighting, flirting and f**king- it would be very interesting to see how the night goes.

"I don't know where we're going yet, so maybe I won't have to dress up. Either way I'm just glad most of the bruises are gone so I won't have to try to cover them up."

She laughed at my comment probably remembering the debacle I told her about at the police station. "I still can't believe Tracy had him arrested. That is so twisted, and coming from me that's bad." Then randomly switching conversations as Maxie was known to do at any moment, she pulled a gift bag from her purse and handed it to me. "This for you just in case your date with Dante doesn't end the way I hope it does. It will definitely make up for a bad date."

"That was nice of you." I told her appreciatively taking the bag. It was not my birthday or Christmas so I was surprised and moved she was buying me gifts for no reason. Eagerly opening the bag, my appreciative feeling quickly dissolved. "What the…" I heard my voice trail off, not even wanting to touch the foreign object. "I'm gonna call Shadybrook and have them pick you up because you have lost your mind."

Maxie smiled ear to ear quite pleased with her gift and not seeing the error in her judgment. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't try to help?"

"You call this _thing,_" I pointed to the contents of the bag. "Helping?"

Watching her reaction I could do nothing but shake my head in astonishment the how crass she could be sometimes, but the worst part was she honestly thought she was helping me, which is why I could not be mad at her.

"That _thing_" She pointed to the bag sarcastically in the same manner I did. "Is called a vibrator and yes I'm helping you, and me because we both know how cranky you can get when it's been a while."

My mouth fell open in appall at her accusation. "I do not." I denied. I do not get cranky… well not a lot, just sometimes.

"Yeah you do. So if you insist on keeping up that stupid no sex game with Dante, you're going to need something to take the edge off. And trust me, from personal experience that will take the edge off." Her lips upturned into that classic Maxie mischievous smirk and I did not even want to fathom the places her mind was going.

"Too much information." I said hoping to derail and desist this conversation, but Maxie being like a dog with a bone would not let go or take the hint.

Instead she waved me off nonchalantly and quickly continued to type on the computer while giving me a lecture, or a lesson depending on the perspective. "Oh please. Stop acting like you've never done it. Plus it might just spice up your sex life. Dante looks like the up for anything type, let him watch or better yet let him use it on you. "

"Ok way way too much information." I all but yelled as I covered my ears and shook my head not wanting to hear her talk about her sex life or my sex life or anything to do with sex at all. There was no way I was going to stick around and listen to her give me advice on what to do with a vibrator, I did not even want or need the stupid thing. "I have to go get lattes… and stuff." I mumbled, picking up my purse so I could go run Kate's usual errands for the day. Anything to get out of the office, and I could not leave fast enough.

**Dante's POV – Kelly's**

Once I had taken a very long and icy shower, I came back to my senses and was left with the realization that I still had not decided what to do with Lulu on our date. At first I thought of doing something extravagant and formal, but considering Lulu was suspicions of my intentions I wanted to show her I was being sincere. I just did not know how to go about it. It did not help matters that I knew absolutely nothing about her likes and dislikes.

I could not ask the people who were closest to her about the things she liked because that would send up red flags about our already suspect, sudden marriage. As her supposed loving husband, I was supposed to know these things already.

Thinking that maybe my grandfather had some clue about Lulu since she worked here a few years ago, I broached the subject trying to sound as casual as possible while I stared into my coffee. "Hey Grandpa, you've known Lulu for a while, would you by chance happen to know her favorite flower or her favorite food."

"She likes lilies and roses, preferably white roses." A voice from behind me spoke before Mike could.  
My grip on the cup sitting on the counter tightened relentlessly out of jealousy. I did not recognize the voice, but was willing to bet my entire inheritance that it was Johnny. Shifting around to the speaker of such valuable information, my guess was confirmed. _Bastard._

Johnny stood smug and confident almost to the point of arrogance. I wanted to wipe the look off his face but getting arrested twice in two days would not be good, plus I was looking forward to my date with Lulu.

He ordered his coffee then focused his attention on me, obviously prepared to rub in my lack of knowledge on Lulu. "I'm no authority on marriage but shouldn't you know what Lulu likes since you're married to her?"

Clench, release, clench, release. My fingers motioned repeatedly around the cup before raising it to my mouth. "Things sometimes slip my mind." I simply answered, trying hard not to dump the rest of the hot liquid in his face. I wonder how arrogant he would be with a scald face.

He scoffed at my answer. "Keep that up and your marriage won't last much longer."

"Lulu and I have an understanding." I had no idea why I was justifying my relationship with Lulu to him. He was the competition, the enemy. Regardless of whatever was going on between Johnny and Lulu, I had no intention of giving him more of an upper hand that he already seemed to have

"I'm sure you do, just make sure you don't hurt her."

"That sounds like a threat." I said rising to my feet in front of him not realizing he was this much closer to either being knocked out or burnt.

Johnny laughed never even blinking at the confrontation. "If I were threatening you, trust me you'd know it. Consider it good advice from one friend to another." He was way too smug, but I guess I would be smug too if I were sleeping with Lulu. Hopefully by the time I was done romancing her Johnny would be nothing but a distant memory.

"Hey knock it off, both of you." Mike warned, seeing the heated looks that were passing between us.

He placed Johnny's coffee on the counter with a forced thud, since neither of us had moved from glaring at each other. Johnny finally relented on our stare off, and placed the money for the coffee on the counter. "And just in case a few other things slip your mind, she likes junk food but she's willing to try new things. In general she likes vanilla with caramel swirl ice cream, but her favorite desert is triple chocolate cheesecake."

Mike reached across the counter and grabbed my arm. "Leave it alone Dante." His voice cautioned, so out of respect I did not start a fight like I was dying to do. "Johnny's just rattling your chain. Lulu married YOU, she loves YOU." _Yeah right, love._ If only he knew the truth.

Johnny may as well have flat out told me 'Yeah you're married to her but I know her better', which caused not only deepening cuts of envy, but it was making me unsure of myself. Having him tell me all the things I did not know about Lulu - things I wish I knew - stung even more than knowing he was sleeping with her because it meant they had a connection that went deeper than just physical. _Another point for Johnny._ Emotional ties were much harder to break than sexual ties, and if Lulu had genuine feelings for Johnny there might not be much I could do to change that.

"Did you do something to upset her?"

"Kind of. I just need to show her that I'm being sincere about something."

"Well just be honest and be yourself. I'm sure that will be enough to convince her." He advised earnestly as if it was the most obvious answer ever.

That was easy for him to say. So far being myself was getting me nowhere, expect angry scowls and frustration. But the more I thought about it, the more his advice sank in and the more appealing it became. I needed to show Lulu that there was more to me than the flirting and come-ons. She needed to see that I could we genuine and that I actually liked her for more than just sex. So I had to do something I had never done with anyone else, and I knew just what it was.

"Thanks, I think I know what will work." I said grateful for the much needed counsel.

Now I was more confident than ever about this date. It was definitely going to work out.

**Lulu's POV - Later That Evening**

I had gotten home way before Dante did and immediately started to get ready since I knew that I needed to look, as Maxie put it, "Out of this world gorgeous." Dante had texted me during the day, telling me to wear something semi formal, so my first instinct was to go shopping. It seemed that luck was on my side because it did not take long to find a little black dress that clung to me in all the right places and would surely have Dante foaming at the mouth.

I still had my suspicions about his intentions. It was the innate Spencer part of me I could not shut off, but the girly, hopeless romantic side very few had seen wanted to believe that this was real. That this was about more than the inheritance and more than sex. I wanted to believe that Dante cared, and that he liked the Lulu who was clothed and having a simple conversation with him just as much as he liked the Lulu who was naked and moaning because of him.

Perhaps it was stupid of me to expect Sonny Corinthos' first born, a womanizer just like his father, to change his roaming ways. Sonny had brought some of the most intelligent and strong willed women to their knees all with a dimpled smile, and charm that could sell ice to the Eskimos. Dante unfortunately had inherited the same traits, so even if he were to fall in love with me where would that leave me? As ultimate collateral damage just like Brenda, Carly, Kate and every other woman Sonny had ever loved or who made the mistake of loving him. I wonder if Dante left a string of heartbroken women back in New York just like his father.

Sitting on the bed next to my laid out dress I tried to shake the wandering thoughts from my head. This was only our first date, which could go badly, and here I was obsessing about Dante falling in love with me when I did not even know if he genuinely liked me.

I had no idea how long I had been consumed with my thoughts, but it must have been a while since when I looked at her clock it was 7:15. _Damn it, I was late._ I really had been trying to be on time, but oh well he would just have to wait. It was the least he could do for everything I was putting up with.

**Dante's POV**

_What was she doing making the dress?_ I wondered sitting in the living room waiting patiently for Lulu to come downstairs. At about 7:30 I had knocked on her door to see if she had maybe changed her mind or fallen asleep but she assured she was almost ready. It was now 8:00 and still no Lulu. At this rate by the time we got to the city it would be after 9, so this we were going to be a late night.

Guessing that I was in for a longer wait, I relaxed in the armchair, stretched my feet out on the table in front of me and closed my eyes for a little while.

"Falling asleep on me?" Her voice resonated in my ear from behind me. I could feel the warmth of each breath against my skin, sending tingles on the back on my neck.

"No, I was just closing my eyes for a second." I told her starting to get up, but her hands rested on my shoulders easing me back against the chair.

Her bent form leaned over my shoulder whispering seductively. "You know we can skip dinner if you're tired. I wasn't that hungry anyway." Her teeth nipped at my earlobe, pulling on it lightly. "At least not for food." Then those soft lips enclosed around it completely, leaving me all consumed with her.

Saying that felt good was the understatement of the year; it was teetering on the brinks of euphoric. Continuing to suck on my ear, she let her hands roam freely to her content. Her right hand slid down my chest as far as it could go from her position behind me, and she pulled the shirt from my pants, letting her hand slip beneath to stroke my bare chest. The left hand was around my neck; each finger splayed to surround the expanse of it almost as if she were about to choke me. I was willing to give up my mortality at her hands if it meant just one night unbridled passion with her. One night of having her as mine.

I heard myself moan when her mouth left my earlobe and latched onto my neck. Her tongue and teeth alternated in branding me the same way I had done her the last time we were together. If she was trying to make me hers, there was no need, I was already powerless to resist. Her left hand went to my jaw, turning my head to the side so she could impale me even further with a kiss that could only be described as lethal because it sparked a dangerous shift in me.

My fingers wove between her hairs, pulling her head closer as if to devour her; which was exactly what I wanted to do - devour every single inch of her.

Lulu broke the kiss but her lips barely left mine as she panted lustily. "Tell me what you want Dante."

"Dante… Dante."

"What!" I jumped awake hearing my own name from the same familiar voice in my dreams. When I turned around, I was glad to be sitting because my equilibrium would have shifted sending me fumbling over my own feet.

Lulu was… I did not know how to describe her exactly. Beautiful went without saying but it was more than that, she just looked…. un-freakin-real. Like someone out of a fantasy I never wanted to wake up from. The image of her in this dress was surely going to be the object of my extremely vivid fantasies for a while.

Her hair was pinned up at the top while the back flowed flawlessly across her shoulders and down her back. The dress was short, black and accentuated all her best parts. The straps were held together by sparkling rings, while the neckline sank to a V revealing her perfect cleavage. The outfit was paired with grayish silver shoes and the matching colored clutch. _God she was sexy._

"You've been acting weird since this morning. Are you ok?" Lulu asked concerned.

"Fine." I assured, still blatantly staring her up and down in awe. "But you…" I shook my head dumbfounded not believing I could have had Lulu as a girlfriend a long time ago, but instead I stupidly let the other head delude me into stringing her along like every other woman. "You look freakin' amazing. Like head to toe, drop dead gorgeous."

"Thanks. You look very handsome too." Her cheeks ignited and her smile was enough to give me this weird flutter in the pit of my stomach. _Jeez Dante relax, you're turning into a Hallmark special._

"We should get going." I let her walk past me and almost fell into the chair when I saw the back of the dress. It had bunches of fabric from four angles meeting in the center of her spine to expose strategic parts of her back: most of her upper back, bits of the sides, and a triangular section above her butt.

She took a short grey coat from the closet near the door, while I was stuck in a trance ogling her form in the dress that seemed designed for her alone. Maybe I was biased but I did not think anyone else could do it justice. "Sorry I took so long, didn't mean to make you fall asleep waiting for me."

"You were so worth the wait." I told her, not as a line but as the God's honest truth.

Her cheeks were still red, betraying her self-confidence. It was cute. "So where are we going tonight?"

"I'm taking you to my world." Was my response.

I held out my arm to her and after some hesitation, which I expected, she hooked her arm through mine and we left to what I hoped would be the start of many more fantastic dates.

**Comment Comment Comment :-)**


	14. You Keep Me So Unbalanced

**Hope I did their first date justice.**

**14 - There's Something 'Bout You That Keeps Me So Unbalanced**

**Lulu's POV**

To say Dante looked handsome was the understatement of the year. He was more along the lines of 'Oh My God Sexy!' in black pants, a dark grey button down shirt and a black sports coat. Ironically, yet again our ensembles coordinated without knowing what the other was going to wear. The part of me which chose to believe in fate and signs pushed aside the logical fact that black was the most common color in formal/semi-formal wear and concluded that our coordination was a result of some deep seeded connection. _Calm down it's just the first date_. I had to remind myself since my thoughts were already running away with me when there was no telling how this night would end. For all I knew this date would prove that Dante and I were only good together in bed; as a real couple we would probably self destruct.

He took me to an amazing Italian restaurant somewhere in Brooklyn, which I only knew because of the various signs we passed on the way. At first I was worried that the dinner would be awkward since Dante and I were usually just about the 3 F's; there had never been any meaningful real conversation between us. But once we got there my fears were quickly put to rest when he started asking all kinds of questions about me. From my interests and tastes to child hood stories. The conversation flowed easily like we were old friends just catching up, and I found myself smiling more in that hour and a half we were at the restaurant than I had smiled in the past 2 weeks.

Now we were on our way somewhere else, my only clue being that this night was all about him showing me his world. That being said I guessed we were going to Bensonhurst, or maybe we were already in Bensonhurst. Either way I was looking forward to seeing the infamous city that gave birth to Port Charles' most notorious crime boss, and this gorgeous man who was finding his way into my heart.

Dante parked at the curb of one of the many busy streets and got out of the car. Before I could exit fully as well, he held the door open for me so I could get out. He had been holding doors and pulling out chairs for me all night, and I'm sure his mother, grandmother, and on a smaller level Sonny would have been proud to know they raised a gentleman.

As we walked up a few blocks, unexpectedly he placed his hand in mine causing me to glance down nervously every so often at our joint fingers. "So where are we going?" I asked trying to ignore the nervous butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

"To one of my old hangouts." He answered just as we stopped in front of a building called The O. He let go of my hand only to hold the door open for me again, and I could not help but smile appreciatively. His sweet and polite gestures were incrementally chipping away at the wall I had encased especially for him around my heart. I was very much aware that he had the potential to hurt me just like every other man in my life had, yet I was stupidly opening myself up to the potential hurt. In my head I knew I needed to be practical about this and take things one step at a time, but Dante had this eerie ability to sweep me up in his charismatic and vivacious nature so that I would fall under his spell before I even knew I was falling.

Considering it was a weeknight, the place was fairly crowded with all kinds of people: some were at tables engrossed in food, alcohol and laughter, while others were at the bar drowning their sorrows. It seemed like a cross between Jakes and a sports bar, the only differences were there were plasma screens lining the walls and it was bigger.

I kept close behind of Dante as he continued holding my hand trying to maneuver us through the crowd, to the bar. Needless to say I was absolutely giddy like this was high school and I was at the prom with my biggest crush.

When we finally made it to the bar, the bartender glanced up and Dante shaking his head almost disapprovingly, but then a friendly grin formed. "Well, well the prodigal son returns."

"Hey Mickey, how's it going?" Dante greeted shaking the older man's hand.

"I'm alive so I'm good." Mickey answered with genuine contentment. "I see you're doing your old man proud." He then commented, leaning his head in the general direction past Dante's shoulder, undoubtedly referring to me.

"Lulu this is Mickey, he's Bensonhurst's version of Coleman. Mickey this is Lulu." Dante introduced.

The bartender held out his hand accompanying it with a friendly smile. "Good to meet you lovely Lulu. It's nice to finally put a face to a name."

I returned the action, but was perplexed by the fact that he had heard of me since I had never set foot in Bensonhurst in my life. "You've heard about me?"

"When word spread around here that Dante got married everyone wanted to know the woman who actually got him down the aisle. You might just go down as a legend in Bensonhurst."

Even though this marriage was a means to an end and not out of love, I liked the idea that I held such fascination for supposedly being the woman who had won the notorious playboy's heart and made him renounce his wandering ways. If only that were truly the case.

"Don't listen to him he's exaggerating." Dante protested, but I was intrigued at the chance to get to know the real Dante Falconari and not just the one whom he was portraying tonight. Beneath the polite, gentlemen whose presence I had been in all night, I suspected that he had left quite a few broken hearts in this city.

"A lot of fathers came to poor Olivia's door looking for Dante because he broke their daughters' heart."

Dante shook his head in embarrassment at the revelation of his history. "On that note." He interrupted before Mickey could spill any more of his dirty secrets. "Can I get a beer and…" He turned to me so I could specify what I wanted.

"A beer is fine."

"Two beers Mickey."

The bartender went to get our drinks and I pressed myself against Dante's back so I could speak without everyone else hearing. "Broke a lot of hearts huh?" I whispered in his ear jokingly.

He turned around, leaning against the bar top and put his hands on either side of my waist bringing me closer to him. Once I was pressed against him, his fingers interlaced across my lower back, directly over the spot exposed by my dress. The touch sent warm sensations from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes, and all I could imagine now was him kissing me senseless and stripping me of this suddenly confining dress.

"All misunderstandings beautiful. Does this look like the face of a guy who would break a girl's heart?" Dante smiled his best innocent, boyish smile complete with those adorable dimples in either of his cheeks. _So, incredibly cute._

Two of his fingers dipped beneath the opening of the dress at my lower back, lightly touching my skin. "We're in public…" I reminded him with very little conviction as he seemed to be pressing his finger tips firmly into my skin. The warm sensations turned red hot, and I closed my eyes for a moment trying to keep my breathing even. "People mmhhh…" _Oh my God did I just moan out loud?_Embarrassment and realization of my surroundings hit me just as quickly as I had lost myself, and I pushed his hands away from my body, returning them to his side.

"At least I know I haven't lost my touch; pun intended." That stupid smug smile etched on his lips and I pretended to be oblivious of his tactics, but my brain was so much of a scrambled mess that if he touched me like that one more time I would probably melt on the spot

Luckily Mickey returned with our beers, and handed them to Dante. "On the house." He assured when Dante was about to pay. "I hope you're treating her right Dante. If he doesn't Lulu come tell me and I will personally kick his ass."

"Thanks for the offer Mickey but I can handle him." The guys exchanged a goodbye, then Dante and I found an empty table.

When we sat, I immediately crossed my legs beneath the table, more as a defensive measure then to be lady-like. Dante seemed to have straying hands this evening, and I was still reeling from his touch earlier. If he managed to try anything like that again I was going to literally combust.

Dante stared at me with the same dimpled smile as before and I began to get self conscious under his gaze. "What's with the look?" I asked, then took a sip of the beer so I would have something to divert my attention to.

"Just admiring the most gorgeous woman in the room." He complemented.

Despite me rolling my eyes at one of his many lines, on the inside I was a hopeless wreck with feelings. He was making me like him so much and I really did not want to like him. _Why couldn't he be a jerk?_

I needed a reason to dislike him or at least make him less attractive, if that were even possible, so I reverted to his infamous list of broken hearts. "So are you going to tell me some of those hearts you broke?"

It was Dante's turn to deflect and he took a swig of beer, taking his precious time to swallow. I waited for an answer, watching the way his lips curved around the opening of the bottle, and the muscles in his throat worked to get the liquid down. I imagined that was how it was when his lips were between my legs, curved around my opening, his tongue darting in and out working effortlessly to push me over the edge.

I had no idea I was biting my lower lip until I felt a tinge of pain. _Snap out of it girl._ My lustful expression did not go unnoticed by Dante, and he leaned over the table speaking in a hush. "Whatever you're thinking we can get out of here and make it happen if you want."

I shook my head briefly hoping to get rid of the lurid thoughts, and then leaned across the table as well so that Dante and I were almost nose to nose. "What I want is to know about the women you rejected." I spoke in the same hushed tone. The other patrons would probably think we were just another couple showing affection instead of bantering with each other.

Our heated gazes locked, neither of us wanting to be the first to show weakness. "I told you those were all just misunderstandings." He repeated, sticking to his original story. Dante twirled his index finger around a lose strand of hair that fell across my shoulders, then moved his finger beneath my chin, caressing it ever so lightly. "I'm just a good…" The finger went down my neck. "Wholesome…" Across my chest. "Catholic boy." And finally landed at my cleavage.

_Damn him_! I gulped audibly but managed to regain my composure quickly and flipped his had away from my breasts. "And I'm a nun." I retorted sarcastically.

"Baby if you were a nun I'd definitely have a reason to go to mass more often."

I half laughed, half scoffed at the cheesiness of his lines. "Don't ever use that line again." I warned hoping to save him further embarrassment. "I'm going to the ladies room; try to come up with some better material in the mean time." My warning did not faze him in the least and he blatantly watched my body as I stood up and walked way. Although I would never admit this to him I was flattered by all the complements and even his cheesy lines.

When I got to the bathroom, I took a good look in the mirror, trying to get a hold of myself. Right now I was feeling like a hormone crazed teenager struggling with giving into the needs of my body, versus distancing myself for my own good. On one hand I could tell myself to just do it and this would be the last time, but rationally I knew there would never be just one time with us. From the first time Dante and I were together it was like he had been infused within my blood. Long after we had parted I still felt him smoldering within me like a flickering ember that refused to die. On the other hand I could continue with the passive aggressive behavior until he was angry and frustrated enough to stop pursuing me. But I did not want him to stop.

It all came down to a sacrifice: my physical needs or my heart.

As I was contemplating what I wanted, a petite brunette entered the bathroom. She gave a small polite smile in my direction and proceeded to fix her makeup in front of the other sink.

Not long after another brunette, much taller, came in hurriedly with a huge somewhat devious grin. You could just tell she was up to no good. "Nicole guess who I just saw?" She asked the petite one whom I now knew to be Nicole. Nicole continued applying lip gloss indifferently, waiting for the big reveal. "Dante Falconari."

Nicole's indifference instantly disappeared causing her to drop her gloss stick in the sink. "He's back?" Her voice went up a pitch in disbelief, yet you could hear the anxiousness, and dare I say excitement in her voice.

Pretending to touch up my make up as well, I listened to the pair keenly, very interested in Nicole and how well she knew Dante. Probably one of his broken hearts.

"Yep and still as cute as ever. You should go say hi." The tall one recommended.

"What for, we haven't spoken in forever. Besides I'm with Jeremy."

She waved off her shorter friend's statement not believing it the least. "Please you've liked him since high school and you still do. You know if he even looked your way you'd be like 'Jeremy who?'"

I had to agree with her. It was as plain as day that this Nicole was still very much into Dante; no matter how much she wanted to hide it. I was a victim of the same ailment so I knew the signs well.

"Whatever. In case you forgot he's married now."

She sounded very bitter saying the word 'married' and I could not believe this woman was still holding on to a crush from high school. She was attractive, but seemed kind of docile and homely like someone's mother – definitely housewife material - but not really the type Dante would go for. Then again what did I know, I had never actually seen the women he dated.

"So what?" The tall and not to mention tackily dressed friend questioned, unconcerned by Dante's marital status. "I heard he never introduced her to any of his family, not even Olivia or Thalia. It was totally random."

"You think she's pregnant?"

The tacky one smacked her gum loudly. Ugh she could be a poster girl for what not to do and wear. Maxie would likely faint at this travesty. "I wouldn't be surprised. And they're almost practically related – her cousin was married to his father a bunch of times, his brothers are her cousins, and his aunt had a kid with her brother. It's all kind of incestuous."

Who the hell was this fashion failure to talk about and judge mine and Dante's family? I was dying to reach across and snap every one of those long, neon multi-colored acrylic nails on her fingers. Whoever had talked her into those colors deserved to be jailed without the possibility of parole. Combining her nails with the extremely tight, and extremely short, bright orange dress that did nothing for her complexion, and just as bright yellow shoes, she looked like a Lisa Frank binder exploded on her. I was not sure if to smack her for making such a poor fashion choice or offer to help.

"I heard she works for his stuck up cousin Connie _AND_ she's blonde. I bet she's one of those ditzy, snobby, spoiled gold digger types who doesn't even know where to find a kitchen furthermore cook." Nicole said, adding in her two cents.

If this was what Bensonhurst had to offer in women of this generation, it was no wonder Dante had broken so many hearts. I would have dumped these nosy, judgmental, rejects a long time ago. These women knew nothing about me, and were not even close relatives of Dante yet I was being critiqued like they were his mother.

Nicole was fortunately much better put together than her friend, so I could not really say anything about her outfit, but I still thought she looked boring.

"Well he's at a table by himself so maybe he's bored with her already and looking for some excitement."

A glint of hope twinkled in Nicole's eye at the prospect of finally getting Dante's attention. This was so hilarious it was almost sad at how delusional some women could be. "I may just decide to say hi after all." She said confidently doing one last glance over in the mirror, then turned to her friend. "Do I look ok?"

"Great. Now go get your man." Miss Tacky encouraged.

_Her man? _I was the one with the ring on my finger so how did Dante become her man? If Nicole was so quick to judge me and talk about me, I planned to show her exactly what Dante's wife was like and really give her something to talk about.

**Dante's POV**

This date with Lulu was going better that I had expected. I had never imagined I could enjoy simply talking with a woman just as much as I had enjoyed not talking. The two attractions were usually mutually exclusive where if I liked talking to a woman she was usually not that great in bed or I was just not that attracted to her, and on the other hand if she was great in bed she lacked in conversation skills or was just too easy. Lulu just seemed to have to all: beautiful, intelligent, strong-willed and opinionated. Yet there was a vulnerability that humanized her; made her relatable and modest.

She had told me about her rebellious streak mostly due to her mom being sick and her dad not being around much when she was growing up. Thankfully now her mom was better and living in Paris, but she still missed her a lot. Her parents had some storybook love that was inscribed in Port Charles' history; a love that many had sought but remained elusive to all, even to the Spencer offspring. But as much as Luke and Laura had tried to make their marriage a success, fate stepped in for the worse and crumbled Port Charles' famous lovers. Lulu did not give me the details of what exactly happened but from the sound of things it was a long, complicated story. Nonetheless she had come to accept Tracy as a stepmother and supported her father's marriage.

It was still a mystery to me why my dad would want Lulu and me to be married. He and Luke were old friends but it still did not explain what would possess him to tie my inheritance to a woman I did not love. In the beginning I was angry for being thrust into a modern day arranged marriage, but the more I got to know Lulu outside of the bedroom the more I liked the woman within. I still had no intention to stay married to her but I at least wanted to explore the aspect of dating.

Lulu's chair being pulled from the table pushed aside my thoughts. I looked up expecting to see my beautifully tempting companion but instead I saw an old classmate. "Hey stranger." She said, taking a seat in Lulu's chair.

"Nicole… hi, how are you?" I asked just to be polite.

Nicole had a huge crush on me ever since high school, and still did to this day. Everyone in the neighborhood knew it, and my grandmother had even encouraged me to give her a chance because she was 'a good Italian girl who would make a good wife and mother.' Truth be told, she was a good girl, cute, and would probably make a good wife and mother, but was unfortunately as dull as dishwater. One time I had tried to flirt with her at Coney Island talking about us potentially getting stuck at the top of the ferris wheel for a few minutes, and she totally lost the gist of where I was trying to go with the conversation and started talking about some story a while back when the ferris wheel really did stop. Had it been Lulu, we would have been in a back and forth heated banter the entire day.

"Great, can't complain. It's nice to have you home. To stay I hope?"

"No just visiting."

"Well you should come more often; we miss you in the neighborhood. I'm sorry about your father." She sympathized reaching across the table to take my hand in hers. "If there's anything I can do for you just name it. I'm here for you."

I smiled again trying to be polite while I extracted my hand from hers. "Uhhh… thanks." I told her hoping this awkward conversation would end soon.

This was another problem with Nicole; she was way too clingy and needy. Give her an inch and would already start planning the wedding before you even got to the first date. I might have been able to tolerate boring in hopes of breaking her out of her rut, but clingy and needy were deal breakers. In the few times we spoke she also had the tendency to giggle and agree with whatever I said. It was cute in high school, but we were adults now. I did not want someone who was going to yes me to death with a smile plastered on her face all for the sake of being agreeable, I wanted a challenge – a woman who would tell me what was on her mind no matter what. I admired a woman who was secure enough with herself and with me to speak the truth.

"So how do you like living in Port Charles." She continued with the mundane conversation, not picking up on my disinterest. _God help me. _

Not long after I made a silent plea to God to deliver me from boredom, a pair of hands snaked around my neck from behind. "Sorry I took so long baby." Lulu apologized leaning over my shoulder and kissing me on the cheek. I swear she was like an angel of mercy; always there to come through for me exactly when I needed her.

Thankful that Lulu was back to save me from being bored to death, I introduced them. "Lulu, this is Nicole we were in high school together." I did not even bother to call her a friend because the last thing I wanted was for Lulu to think I was remotely interested in Nicole when the woman I really wanted was her.

"Hi Nicole, I'm Dante's blonde wife." Lulu responded extending her hand.

A brief look of surprise passed across Nicole's face, while Lulu stood calmly, hand still outstretched, waiting for the other woman to reciprocate. I raised a questioning eyebrow at Lulu's strange introduction, but it went unnoticed by both women as they stared each other down. _This isn't good._

Nicole, though reluctantly, finally shook Lulu's hand, then stood to depart. "I should get going; don't want to interrupt your evening."

_Thank God!_

"No stay. Dante's been away for a while and I'm sure he would love to catch up with a friend."

I glanced up curiously at a still standing Lulu. "What are you doing?" I mouthed, but she ignored me, simply smiling mischievously and resting a hand on my shoulder. Trouble lit up her amber eyes and whatever she was up to, I had a feeling it would not be good, especially for Nicole. Even so I remained silent and let Lulu unfold her plot.

"That's okay. The place is pretty crowded and there are no empty chairs around." Nicole affirmed, obviously trying to get out of whatever situation she had found herself in.

"Not a problem." My constantly surprising wife stepped between my legs and sat sideways in my lap, extending both her legs outwards then crossing them at the knees. She placed an arm around my neck to keep herself balanced. "I'm much more comfortable here anyway."

I had no idea what had gotten into her or what she was up to, but it got her closer to me and sitting in my lap so I was not complaining. Nicole on the other hand looked a cross between dismayed and embarrassed, but remained in the chair most likely fuming on the inside. As much as I would to love attribute Lulu's sudden affection as a result of jealousy, something else was going on to make her push the buttons of a woman she did not even know.

"So you knew Dante in high school. What was he like?" Lulu asked with over interest

"Ummm he was nice. Very sweet and charming." The other woman answered dryly.

Lulu on the other hand was full of enthusiasm and spirit. "Well he certainly hasn't changed. Dante is still such a sweetheart. He surprised me on our wedding day with these stunning rings even after I told him I didn't want them." Lulu stretched her hand outwards showing off the pair of rings to the woman she clearly intended to humiliate. "I'm sure all the girls had crushes on him back then. Some probably still do; even though pining away for a guy who never gave you the time of day for almost 10 years would be kind of pathetic, not to mention desperate. Don't you think Nicole?"

Nicole's face reddened in anger at the evident insult aimed for her, but she did not stay silent. "Well there are worse things to be in life, like a heathen and a gold digger."

Lulu's body instantly tensed, and the hand in her lap closed to a fist. "Retract the claws beautiful." I whispered in her ear seeing this had the potential to get out of hand. Nicole may have been dull but she was still from Brooklyn and you could count on Bensonhurst women to fight like their lives depended on it. While I am sure Lulu could hold her own, I did not want the night to end with anyone at the police station or the hospital so stopped whatever was going on. "Sorry to cut this short but Lulu and I have to go. Nice seeing you Nicole."

Lulu stood up glaring hostile at Nicole while I helped her with her coat. She flashed that painfully insincere sugary sweet smile again at her opponent. "Nice to meet you Nicole. I hope I remember your face next time I'm in Bensonhurst, but you know how ditzy we blondes are; plus insignificant, boring, useless things tend to slip my mind." I put a protective arm around Lulu's waist, practically dragging her along with me just in case either one of them got any ideas to lunge at each other.

Once we were outside on our way back to the car I had to ask. "You want to tell me what that scene was all about?"

"Your grandma was right, you really did date skanks." She grumbled.

"I never dated her; we went to high school together. She was a nice girl and everything but way too clingy and needy." I confirmed so she would not think there was some connection there when I had no attraction to Nicole whatsoever.

"Well I heard little Miss Mary sunshine and her friend in the bathroom talking about your… what was it…" Lulu placed a finger at her cheek dramatically, pretending to think. "Blonde, ditzy, spoiled, snobby gold digger wife whom you're practically related to, and are already bored with by now. Oh and I'm probably pregnant too that's why you married me."

I figured something had spurred the sudden change in attitude. Gossip was a part of the territory in Bensonhurst. There was no way to stop it or control it; you just simply grew accustomed to it. I personally could not care less what anyone had to say about me, as long as my family and close friends knew the real Dante. But they had no right to judge Lulu without knowing her. "Don't pay them any mind; they judge what they don't know. I know that you're nothing like that so let them think whatever they want."

We continued in silence until we reached the car. When I opened the door Lulu stopped for a moment before getting in. "I'm sorry I let her ruin our time there."

She seemed sincerely sorry for letting Nicole and her friend get the best of her even though in my opinion she had nothing to be sorry about. However it was very rare to see an apologetic Lulu, at least to me, so it was nice to know she possessed the ability to be contrite despite her devil may care personality. "Well the date isn't over yet. We have one more stop to make."

**Lulu's POV**

It was a quick drive from the bar to a quieter neighborhood lined with Brownstones and cars parked on either side of the street. Bright streetlights at every corner kept the area illuminated and in the distance you could hear the feint rumblings of city sounds. Considering the stories told about living in the city, it was very clean and did not reek of garbage or any other foul scent. In fact it seemed like a very nice neighborhood, and I imagined in the summertime it was filled with lots of children playing while the adults congregated having their own conversations.

Dante and I got out of the car and started walking up the street. "This is where I grew up. My Nona's house is just around the corner and my mom's place is two streets away."

"Are we going to visit them?" I asked hugging my coat closer since I did not think I was properly dressed for the occasion.

He shook his head defiantly. "Noooo 'cuz then we'd never leave." He pointed to one of the brownstones on our left that had a steep row of steps in the front and flowerboxes beneath each window. "That's Mrs. Giovanni's house, she's like the neighborhood watch dog and tattle tale. To this day she swears I tried to kill her cat."

I laughed at the prospect. Dante did not strike me as one to harm animals but there must have been some foundation for the old lady's accusation. "Did you?"

"Of course not." He answered incredulously seeming slightly offended that I had even entertained the thought, but he started to explain why he had been wrongfully accused. "Her favorite color is red. Her furniture is red, her car is red." He pointed to the red car in front of the house. "And almost everything she wears is red. She has this grey and white cat that is seriously overweight; I'm talking huge and it used to just lie around on the steps and hardly ever moved. So my friends and I thought since everything else was red why not make the cat red too. So one day when she was out we grabbed the cat and painted it red, with water paint so it was completely safe, then took it back and waited across the street for Mrs. Giovanni to get home. She gets to her door and I swear the whole of Bensonhurst heard that scream. She completely flips out and of course my friends and I are laughing hysterically. Then she turns around and sees us so we take off running and she's yelling at the top of her lungs about telling our mothers and blah, blah, blah. Later that day she makes good on her threat and shows up at my house telling my mother I'm evil and I tried to kill her cat. The only thing that saved me from getting royally grounded was Mrs. Giovanni started talking about me being just like my dad and I was going to end up a gangster like him, and my mom hated when people said that so she laid into her. Ever since then she hasn't liked me too much."

I was in stitches laughing at the thought of a tremendously overweight cat curled up at the top of the steps, dripping in red paint. I had pulled a few stunts in my day so I could appreciate a good prank; although I never involved animals. "How old were you?"

"Nine."

"You were just a kid; she didn't have to call you evil." I reasoned, understanding why Olivia would have been upset. It was a prank, not some heinous crime, so Mrs. Giovanni had no right to be calling anyone evil. Loving all the details I was learning about Dante's life, I hooked my arm though his as we walked, wanting to hear more. "So what other kinds of mischief did you do as a kid?"

He smiled – the boyish one that showed his dimples – and I imagined him as this little boy with sweet puppy dog brown eyes, a mop of shaggy dark hair and dimples that made you unable to stay mad at him for very long. "I wouldn't call it mischief. I was just a very curious child."

"Riiiight." I uttered sarcastically, not believing his underestimation in the least. It takes a mischief loving child to know a mischief loving child and I was pretty sure Dante had gotten into his share of trouble growing up. "You must have been such a handful."

"I guess I was at times but I made up for it with my charisma; got me out of some close calls."

He told me stories of how he sped down a hill and practically busted his head open on a dare, when he got his prized Don Madingly bat on bat day at Yankee Stadium, and almost getting kicked out of confirmation classes for writing the Catechism on his arm.

I loved hearing all his childhood stories. It made me feel closer to him, as if we were friends; friends with the potential to be more.

There were a group of boys in the street playing and Dante stopped watching them wistfully. "This was my favorite pastime and one of the things I miss most out Bensonhurst: playing stickball in the street."

A young boy who looked about 10 or 11 years old caught sight of Dante and jogged up to him. "Hey Dante, you're back." He said enthusiastically. "Wanna play?"

Dante seemed seriously conflicted between his love of stickball and not wanting to be rude by ditching me. It was amusing to watch the serious brow furrowed, pensive consideration he was giving to a simple game. Seeing the longing in his eyes for his childhood game, I put him out of his misery and gave him an easy out. "You obviously want to, so go play." I told him.

There was an instant gleam in his eyes, like a kid on Christmas morning. You would have thought I had just given him the greatest gift in the world instead of telling him to go play stick ball.

"Kyle, this is my friend Lulu, can she play too?" Dante asked the young boy.

Kyle looked at me suspiciously, and it was evident he was not very keen with the idea of me on the team. _I guess he was still going through that girls have cooties stage. _"I guess." He answered reluctantly, probably more as a favor to Dante that actually seeking my participation. Kyle handed me the bat, stick, thing and walked away, taking a position at one of the 'bases' another boy had vacated in favor of pitching.

I held it in my hand awkwardly not quite sure I should be playing a game I knew nothing about in heels and a dress that did not offer much sudden flexibility. "Dante I don't think this is such a good idea. I'm not very good when it come to playing with balls." A sly smirk shaped across his lips, and it was then I realized the innuendo of my statement. "Get your mind out the gutter, that's not what I meant." Shutting him up before he went where I knew he was going with my mistakenly double entendre statement.

Dante laughed holding up his hands defensively and backed away. "It's just like baseball. Keep your eye on the ball and swing when it comes to you."

He took his place at one of the 'bases' as well, while I stood a few feet away from the pitcher. I felt really stupid playing stickball, in the street so dressed up but I was going to be a good sport about it even though I had no idea what I was doing.

The pitcher reached back and threw the ball straight at me. I swung the stick when it appeared close enough, but there was no contact and the ball went past me. "Strike 1." Another kid, yelled from somewhere.

Kyle ran for the ball and threw it back to the pitcher. This was so unfair. I was at a severe wardrobe disadvantage. There was no way I could properly swing in this dress without jiggling too much or flashing them. They were young, impressionable boys so I was trying to keep everything confined and G rated. _Yeah right Lulu just admit you're a bad hitter_.

The pitcher reached back and once again threw straight at me. This time I knew I had it. The ball was coming directly at me so I swung with as much effort as I could put in. Unfortunately, yet again the ball went straight past my shoulder. "Strike 2."

Ok now I was ready to throw in the towel since I had no intention to further embarrass myself in front of a bunch of children.

"Time out." Dante called, and then came up to me.

"You can't call time out." The pitcher yelled, irritated that Dante had interrupted the game.

"Just give me a minute."

I held out the stick to him, all set to relinquish my hitting rights. "I suck at this."

He shook his head refusing to take the stick. "You just need some quick coaching." Placing his hands on my hips he turned me around so that my back was against his chest. Having his hands on me reminded me of that moment at The O when he had managed to let his fingers wonder at the back of my dress. _Calm down he's just showing you how to hit._ "Spread your feet apart."

"Hey this isn't lady-like and you're setting a bad example for the kids." I commented as I did what he had instructed.

"Now whose mind is in the gutter?" He whispered with his lips to my ear, while the hand which was out of the boys' view momentarily dipped in and out the opening at my lower back. I flinched at the coolness and closed my eyes forgetting where I was.

"Come on Dante, is she gonna hit it or not?" The pitcher yelled impatiently causing me to open my eyes and remember we were in the presence of children. _I really need to get these lapses under control._

Getting back to the task at hand Dante continued to instruct. "Hold this and put your hands up." He told me, raising the stick in my hand so that the base of it was at about my chest. "Make sure most of your weight is on your back leg, then lift your right elbow up and keep it there." Once I had leaned back some, and he positioned my elbow correctly, the stance felt very awkward.

"This feels weird."

"I know, but when you swing, your eyes, your hands and your hips should come through the ball. Try it." I held the stance and Dante stepped back allowing me to swing at the air so I could get a feel for the action. "Great! Now just do the same thing when the ball comes at you."

He quickly returned to his 'base' and I tried to keep the gawky position of my body so that I could hopefully get a hit this time. For the third time the pitcher leaned back and threw the ball at me. In my head I check listed everything Dante said as the ball got closer. _Eyes, hands and hips through the ball._ I swung, and for the first time heard the ball connect with the stick.

It hurled in the air across the street, hitting the fender of one the parked cars, setting off its alarm. A red car to be exact. "Oh my God!" I shrieked covering my mouth at my dumb luck. The hit did not leave a dent it just simply tripped the alarm, but from how crabby Mrs. Giovanni sounded she was probably going to come out here and accuse me of trying to wreck her car.

"Whoa that was awesome!" Kyle said coming over to us as the other boys disbanded in all directions to save themselves. "I gotta go. If Mrs. Giovanni catches me I'm gonna be in major trouble. Do you want to play with us again tomorrow? You can be on my team." Kyle asked directing the question to me.

Considering he was so hesitant about me playing in the beginning, I was surprised and flattered at the invitation. "I won't be here tomorrow, but the next time I come back I will most definitely be on your team." I promised handing him back the stick.

"Cool!" He agreed excitedly. "Bye Lulu."

"Bye Kyle, thanks for letting me play." I said appreciatively, and waved as he rounded the corner on his way home.

Besides those two nitwits at The O, Bensonhurst could really grow on me. Hopefully Dante and I would come back here, possible in the daytime, and I would be able to learn more about his beloved city and the people who played a role in his life.

"I think you have a new fan." Dante teased. "Not that I blame him, who knew that even in high heels my girl could hit like a pro." My eyes instantly locked with Dante's, both our expressions mirroring shell shock by the words that may have been uttered. _Did he just say my girl? I could have sworn he called me his girl. I could be lapsing again… I'm probably lapsing._ "I mean… what I meant… to say was…" He gulped loudly, rubbing the back of his head like he always did when he was nervous. _Oh My God, he said it – he called me his girl._

This was not a conversation to be had in the middle of the street, with a loud annoying car alarm blaring in the background. So I put aside the million and one questions running through my mind, and the queasy, anxious feeling knotted in my stomach, and played off the comment with an oblivious smile as if nothing had happened. "You're not the only one with charisma Falconari. Now let's get out of here before Mrs. Giovanni sees us and thinks I'm trying to help you kill her cat again."

**Dante's POV – Penthouse **

The drive back to Port Charles was quiet - a very discomforting quiet. I had no idea what had possessed me to say what I did. One second I was teasing her about Kyle having a crush on her and the next I was calling her my girl like it was the most natural thing in the world. I knew she heard it even though she pretended not to, because for the few seconds after I had uttered those loaded words our gazes fixed on each other rendering surprise, confusion and maybe even hope. My first line of defense was to immediately take it back; call it a mistake or say it was a meaningless reference since we were already married. But I did not have the nerve to because it did not feel like a mistake or meaningless. It felt normal, instinctive and good.

Still in silence, Lulu and I walked up the stairs to our bedrooms, and along the way I kept thinking of ways to explain to her why I said what I did without sounding like a lunatic. She leaned her back against her closed door, with one hand on the knob and the other holding her purse. "I had a really great time with you tonight, minus your high school groupie. Maybe we can go back to Bensonhurst one of these days. I'd love to see what it's like in the daytime."

"Sure. I know Kyle would love to see you." I teased her, more as a diversion so I could hopefully find a reasonable way to approach what we had been avoiding. It was now or never before I completely lost the bravado. "About what I said earlier…" I started tentatively.

But Lulu waved me off, shaking her head adamantly. "You don't have to explain, I know you didn't mean it like we're a couple or anything. You told me we were going out to get to know each other. It's not like I was expecting you to fall madly in love with me; heck I don't even expect you to like me in that way. We seem to be getting to a good place so I don't want there to be any awkwardness between us."

"Oh course, absolutely. Glad we're on the same page." I agreed even though my insides were screaming to tell her that I really did like her a lot and I wanted to be more than just the guy who was her friend with benefits or roommate for a year.

Lulu exhaled a breath, seemingly relieved by our resolution. "Good." Then kissed me lightly on the cheek.

Before she should move away, I held her arm still and quickly turned my head to really kiss her. Surprise gave way to submission when her lips parted allowing me access to her mouth. She sighed ever so softly that I barely heard it. Or maybe the blood rushing from my head to other areas, and the sound of my heartbeat in my ears was drowning out the sound. With amorous dreams and fantasies of her still mingling in my brain, I pressed my body against her, pinning her to the door.

Breaking the kiss just to take in the immeasurable beauty standing in front of me, I let my eyes travel the length of her, memorizing the way her female curves were accentuated by the dress that seemed to have been made especially for her. She really was all levels of beautiful.

My hands had fallen to the base of the dress, bunching the hem between my fingers and inching it upwards. I let both hands wonder beneath, conforming to the shape of her thighs, feeling their downy texture. This time I plainly heard her moan, and the purse escaped her hold, lying forgotten on the floor.

With eyes closed and her head leaning against the door, the tip of her tongue peeked from between her cherry stained lips, running across them sensually. The action was so simple yet elaborate enough to leave me torn between ripping the dress off and living out my dreams right here on the floor, or taking my time to savor and ravish the moment. I managed to control myself long enough to choose the latter option, figuring the foreplay would make what we both clearly wanted that much sweeter.

"Tell me something beautiful," I began to ask placing my lips at the pulse point on her neck. I could feel each heartbeat speeding up in succession as my hands beneath her dress rose higher. "Hypothetically…" I continued, running my fingers along the edges of her panties, already feeling the moisture dampen my fingers. Purposely wanting to drive her as insane with need as she had done me in my dreams, I prolonged the act, moving my fingers slower and applying more pressure to her flesh each tine. "What if…"

Lulu held both of my shoulders and arched her hips forward into my hand trying to get me to reach the inevitable target, but I resisted determined to do this my way. I had a purpose and she was not going to interrupt it. "I hate when you do that." She whined, pouting in the sexiest way imaginable. That look made torturing her even more worth it.

"I know, but what if…" I was forced to pause when she pulled me into a beguiling kiss, undeniably in an attempt to sway me to her side where I would quench her worsening thirst.

"What if what?" She purred turning the tables by undoing my belt buckle with ease, then pulling it all the way through the loops and leaving it with her forgotten purse. While she set her sights on adding my pants to the pile of forgotten items, determination highlighted each of her features, casting an inexplicable allure. Lulu was getting the better of me. I had a point, a purpose, but the spell she had casted was making me lose sight of the goal.

Resolute to finish what I started, I grabbed both her wrists before she could put them down my pants, and pinned them to the door, above her head. Her eyes widened momentarily at my exertion of power, but there was no fear just surprise by the unexpected move.

"What if I'm doing this because I really meant it?" The surprised expression shifted to puzzled as she tried to decode my ostensibly arbitrary ramblings. Deciding to soften the approach, I interlocked my fingers with hers so that we were somehow connected, and lowered them slowly to the back of her head. "What if us on the balcony, tonight, and right now is all about me trying to make you mine?"

**Comment, Comment, Comment good bad or indifferent**

**Some Dialogue Credit to 6.9.2010 Episode **

**Lots of Love Everyone and Happy Friday!**


	15. One Step At A Time

**Thanks for the wonderful reviews and the stalking. It feels great to know that people love what I write. Also I'm glad you loved the date it was my favorite chapter to write so far.**

15 – One Step At A Time

Lulu's POV

"What if us on the balcony, tonight, and right now is all about me trying to make you mine?"

_Make me his? What the hell was he talking about; make me his how?_ Confusion left me at a loss for words while Dante kept me pinned between himself and the door, declaring his desire to make me his. We were living together, I was wearing his ring; what else could he possibly want me to do. "We're already married Dante, how much more yours can I be?"

He shook his head adamantly, clearly frustrated by my inability to grasp the meaning of his words. "The marriage is just on paper, it's a means to an end. I'm talking about what we are outside of that or at least what we could be."

"What we could…?" I began to ask once again but realization hit me with a ferocious force and all the feelings I had been trying to put away returned to the forefront of my mind.

Before I could stop myself, my pent up emotions me for the past year manifested itself in the form of my knee shoving vehemently up into his groin.

"Damn it!" The curse sounded from him first and almost instantly my hands were set free when Dante grabbed himself, doubled over in pain, leaning against the wall. He stared up at me stunned by the action probably expecting some sympathy, but I was too through with letting him work me over. "What… the hell… was that for?" His words came out in pained gasps.

"For being an ass." I snapped. "Just when I thought we were in a better place, you prove to me once again that you really are Sonny's son."

It was bad enough I spent the drive home processing and over processing every which way he could have meant the reference of me as 'his girl', but I was too afraid of humiliation to even consider the thought that he meant it so I brushed it away as an insignificant endearment like the way he called me beautiful. He even agreed with me that it was no big deal and now he was taking it all back. Every time I seemed to get a firm grip on the reality that Dante and I would never be more than just friends he would do something incredibly sweet or out of character that would make me give into my 'what if's'. What if we could be more than friends? What if he felt the same way but wouldn't admit it? What if he was the one? The constant back and forth was too much and quite frankly I was sick of it!

Dante had straightened up but was still propped against the wall taking deep breaths; all for dramatics of course. I could not have kneed him that hard. _Could I?_ "I'm an ass… for telling you… how I feel?"

Either he was that good of a womanizer that he had lost sight of all the tricks or he was cold enough to do it and not care about the effect it was having on me. "No you're an ass for trying to manipulate me again. This is just like the day you asked me to marry you. Instead of telling me the truth when I asked why, you said that you loved me. I didn't believe it then and I certainly don't believe you suddenly have feelings for me now."

"This is different." Dante argued taking a step closer to me but I glared at him angrily, silently conveying that this time I was not going to be a pushover.

"Yeah right!" This was his pattern: sweet talk me, be nice and incredible so that I would be hypnotized by his charm then he would spring something on me and expect me to simply go along with it because I too forgone not to. I was a person, a woman, with genuine feelings for a man who seemed to do nothing but send my head into a tailspin, while he remained calm and unconcerned. "So what is it you're trying to get from me now? Sex? Do we have to stay married longer? Do I need to convert to Catholicism? Is there some other crazy clause in the will like we have to have a baby or something? Because if that's the case I'm out, and no amount of money in this world is going to change my mind."

"We would have cute kids though." He said with a smile, a really cute dimpled smile that I had to admit would be adorable on a child. _Focus Lulu you're supposed to be mad at him._ "Ok you're right, I did try to manipulate you in the beginning when I said I loved you, but then I told you the full truth and I haven't lied to you since. Why would I choose now to start lying? What would I have to gain?"

I could think of one thing he was trying to gain that was very important to him. It was the sole foundation of our existence as 'friends' and the only way we truly seemed to get along without contention. "You weren't happy about agreeing to no sex. You probably think that telling me you're really into me would make me change my mind. That's what you did to all those other women in Bensonhurst."

Dante shook his head at my words as if he could not believe I had the nerve to say what I did. The usual composure in his demeanor dissipated traces of annoyance. He had nothing to be annoyed about; he had been the puppet master from the start: pulling my strings, luring me into this sinful deal of a fake marriage for money.

He took another step placing him directly in front of me, staring evenly into my eyes, intent on making a point. This time I did not give any threatening glares or make any hostile moves, I simply listened to what he had to say. "This isn't Bensonhurst and you're not just some other woman so stop aligning yourself with the rest of them. Do I like having sex with you? Absolutely. Do I wish I still was? Definitely and I won't apologize for that, but I also like talking to you and hanging out with you. Being around you feels good, even if it's just to sit and watch you do something totally normal like eating those cupcakes you like so much. I'm not confessing my undying love for you or claiming to even be close to falling in love; I'm just saying I like you and I want the chance to be more than just a roommate or a friend with benefits."

As someone who prided herself on having great instincts I had no idea what to believe. Dante sounded so forthright and sincere; his dark brown eyes radiating truth, but regardless of his last name he was still a Corinthos by blood which meant he could be playing me. But what if he was telling the truth? What if he did have genuine feelings for me? This was something I wanted to hear for the longest while and now it was really happening. I would be a fool to let it slip through my fingers. _You would be an even bigger fool for believing him and allowing your heart to be broken again._ The rational side of my brain intervened.

I'm a Spencer, a natural born gambler; I should have been willing to take the chance without a second thought, but I had gambled with my heart three times before and each time it broke a little bit more. My infatuation with Dillon resulted in an unwanted pregnancy, killing Logan because of his obsession with getting me back left me slowly losing my mind and eventually institutionalized, my need to save Johnny to the point I wanted him to be someone he could never be left me inconsolable when he wanted my best friend more. How many chances would I have to take with my heart until there was nothing left to break?

I wanted to believe him more than anything, but the risk was too much and there was nothing in his words to make me think that he was not going to hurt me just like all the others. "You're very convincing, I'll give you that, but I'm not falling for it." With my hand on the door knob I was set to walk away, and push this night in the back of my mind with all the other failed attempts at Dante and me connecting. It was about time I put this to rest once and for all.

"Lulu I swear to you, on my father's grave, everything I just said was the truth." He declared as a last attempt.

_Why did he have to go there?[i/] Family mattered to Dante above all else, I had seen that first hand at the funeral and wedding with his mother, grandmother and siblings. He and Sonny were very close so I had a very hard time believing that Dante would lie on his recently deceased father's grave. Maybe this was my insurance that he was being truthful._ I said as a silent prayer then opened my bedroom door and allowed him to come in. He grinned at me as if he had just won the lottery, so I quickly shut down any thought he had of something happening tonight. "Don't get any smart ideas; I'm just letting you in so we can talk."

[i]God please don't let what I'm about to do be a mistake.

"You have nothing to worry about since you pretty much ruined all chances of anything happening tonight." He said walking in behind of me then shutting the door. My knee could not have done that much damage since he had recovered pretty quickly, so the twinge I guilt I felt before for my actions was gone.

I leaned against one of the end tables next to the bed wondering what was supposed to happen next, while Dante stood in front of me waiting for me to say something. The problem was I had no idea what to say or do. This was unchartered territory for us so I did not want to be overly enthusiastic and scare him off yet I did not want to seem uninterested. It was hard to find that balance since this was not a typical dating situation. Basically we were doing everything in reverse.

Getting unnerved by the silence and the way he kept looking at me with that way too confident and way too cute grin, I threw my hands in the air like I was giving into defeat. "What do you expect me to do now, fall into your arms and act like it isn't weird?"

Dante's arms snaked around my waist letting his hands settle on the exposed area just above my butt that he seemed to be fascinated with all night. "Well the falling into my arms part sounds like a really nice idea." When I folded my arms willfully, refusing to submit to temptation, he laughed; an easy, genuine, laugh conveying his confidence, zeal and determination. _I really wanted to kiss him senseless._ "Look, forget that we're married; that's just on paper. Pretend that this was just a normal first date. If I asked you out again would you go out with me?"

_In a heartbeat._ My head resounded but I tapered it down to an unfazed shrug."I guess."

"That's all I'm asking for. You can even choose our next date." He offered, pulling me to sit down with him on the bed.

Seeing where, or more specifically on what, he was about to sit on, I tried to keep him standing but it was too late. Dante felt the obstruction beneath him and pulled away the gift bag he had mistakenly sat on. Maxie's so called gift fell from the bag, landing directly between his feet. _I knew I shouldn't have let him in here._

A haughty smirk appeared on Dante's face as he picked up the device turning it over in his hands in front of me.

My face was heated with embarrassment and I wished the ground would open so I could disappear. "It's not what you think." I tried to explain but there was no way he was going to let me talk my way out of this one.

**Dante's POV**

During every encounter I had with Lulu I learned something new about her and each fact was more interesting than the last, but this one was definitely priceless. _At least now I know why she spends so much time in her room._ A vibrator was the last thing I ever expected to find among her possessions but I guess we all have needs so I was not judging, but that did not mean I could not have some fun teasing her about it.

Lulu had turned a deep shade of red, spreading from her cheeks all across her neck as she made a sad excuse of saying it was not what I thought. She reached for the toy, trying to get it away from me but I held her off easily blocking each attempt. "Let me guess you bought it as a joke gift for a friend who's getting married."

"Yes now give it back." She answered quickly, climbing onto the bed practically on top of me, seeking the source of her embarrassment. I was now flat on my back so I put the vibrator behind my back underneath me so there was no way she could get to it.

Knowing she was lying through her teeth, I continued to goad her. "Who's the friend?"

"You don't know her." Her legs were straddled across my chest, sending the little black dress up to the middle of her hips; so much so I could see traces of the red lacy panties that clothed her beneath. I would be lying if a said I was not tempted to flip her and completely rip the dress and panties off so I could do all the things to her she was using the tool for.

Lulu was now flat on top of me, her body completely pressed against mine as she tried to reach the hand that was behind my back. With all the movement her breasts shook within the dress, rubbing against my chest. Even better for me I had a pointed view to the show since she was not wearing a bra, and I had to admit the view was spectacular. "If you keep doing that, trust me you'll have no need for this tonight." I warned when my body was involuntarily reacting to her being so close. Now if only she would move her hips back a little it would be perfect.

She finally realized what I was warning her about and got off me, scowling in frustration. "You're such a pervert."

This situation was hilarious seeing Lulu get bent out of shape all because of one silly little vibrator. For the two weeks she had spent giving me the silent treatment and visually taunting me with those skimpy outfits, it was only fair that I was allowed to allot some sort of retribution. "I never really pegged you for the type to be into electronics. Do you have a box of sex toys stashed away somewhere?" I continued to provoke her relentlessly.

"Get out."

I really did not see what the big deal was. So she had a vibrator, it was not the end of the world, yet one would swear I just found out she murdered someone. "Don't be so dramatic beautiful, you're acting like you've never done it before." Her posture stiffened, sitting in the bed upright across from me, avoiding eye contact. _No way._ From our encounters Lulu was for the most part open sexually so she must have done it before... right? Out of curiosity I had to ask just to be sure. "You have before right?… You know like…" I pointed to the toy leaving the question open ended because I had a feeling if I had said the word masturbate she would implode before my eyes.

Her mouth opened in surprise that I had the audacity to ask such a question. "That's none of your business."

"I'm not judging, just curious that's all. I have nothing against a woman who…" I thought of a tactful way to say it since the M word was clearly off limits. "In touch with herself."

Walking my fingers up her bare thighs, I took in the satiny feel that I had missed so much. But she refused to play our usual bantering game and kicked my hand away before I could get very far, then held out hers, glowering crossly. "Give it to me."

"Now if you said that to me weeks ago you would have no need for this." Finally I handed it over and she breathed a sigh of relief like the world had been lifted off her shoulders.

Lulu leaned over the edge of the bed and stuck it in the bottom of a drawer, away from plain sight. I could have kept on teasing her about it but she really seemed like she would combust if I continued any longer, so I took my small victory and let it go.

Once the vibrator was safely put away, she sat in front of me with her legs tucked beneath her. The on-edge attitude had given way to apprehension and speculation. I may not have known Lulu very well but I had been around her long enough to know when there was something on her mind, especially when it pertained to me. Instead of asking a million and one questions like I was tempted to do I waited, giving her time to open up when was ready. I wanted her to be comfortable enough to talk to me when something was wrong, instead of me having to pull it out of her.

"This is why my head tells me not to believe you because every time we're alone together, you try to seduce me." She exhaled a breath and pulled out the pins holding the upper half of her hair up. "What's the longest relationship you've been in? Have you even been in a relationship?" For a minute or so her question was forgotten when the golden strands fell in a cascade of waves across her shoulders creating a simple yet just as stunning image. _Could she get any sexier?_ I wondered as she casually ran her fingers though her hair. Being around a woman daily who was amazing both inside and out, would anyone blame me for trying to seduce her any chance I got. I would be stupid not to.

Resting my back against the headboard I pondered the question. Relationships were not my thing and I never really saw myself as being anyone's boyfriend. There was probably one woman who I was into for a while but that had run its course and my interest faded after a few months. Thankfully she had felt the same way so it was an amicable break up. I had no idea what would become of Lulu and I; if after a few months we would realize that we were better off as friends, but I was willing to take the chance.

She waited expectantly for my answer and I had every intention of replying but I wanted an answer to my question first. "I don't think it's fair that you won't answer my question but you want me to answer yours."

Lulu grumbled rolling her eyes. "What's the question?"

"Have you ever… gotten in touch with yourself?"

"Maybe." She answered beneath her breath. I raised a questioning eyebrow to her response. Maybe was not a legitimate answer; it was either yes or no. After a moment of silence she finally spoke. "Yes ok, now answer my question." She said quickly.

A smile appeared on my face at her admission because even embarrassed she was so freakin' adorable. It also conjured a very vivid fantasy of her lying perfectly naked in my bed, hair splayed wildly across my pillow, shamelessly touching herself for me in the most intimate places. _I wonder if I could actually get her to do that?_ Judging from the reaction to my question probably not, at least not yet, but that was definitely going on my list of fantasies to fulfill with her.

Shaking the erotic images from my head, I shifted focus to her inquiry. "I guess you could call it a relationship, she was cool. We were together about 4 or 5 months but turns out we made better friends than relationship material."

"Did you love her?"

I shook my head truthfully. "No, never been in love. What's your biggest regret?"

The sullen, pensive expression I had seen that night we were supposed to have dinner at the loft retuned. It made me wonder what happened in her past that appeared to bring up such painful memories.

"When I was a teenager, I really liked this guy to the point that I guess I wasn't thinking straight and decided to lie so I could help break up his marriage. It was the stupidest thing I had ever done in my life and it hurt a lot of people including myself." That was certainly not what I was expecting. Lulu did not strike me as the home-wrecking type but I guess in the right circumstances people are driven to do things they never thought they would. "You can say whatever you're thinking it won't hurt my feelings." She stated after catching me lost in thought, trying to reason what would drive her to such lengths.

The downhearted manner in which she said it did not leave me convinced that I would not hurt her feelings if I said something disapproving and I immediately felt bad for even bringing it up. "I was just surprised but I'm not judging you. We've all done things we're not proud of. I wasn't there when my dad died. Sonny Corinthos had been shot more times than I can count and I thought like all the other times he was going to be ok, so I left the hospital without a second thought. Early that morning I got a call saying that he was dead."

"He knew that you loved him." She assured sympathetically.

"I tell myself that but it doesn't make me feel any less guilty about leaving. He was my dad and he would have given me the world if I wanted it; the least I could have done is stayed." Even though it was pointless to dwell on what ifs, to this day I wondered if it would have made a difference if I stayed at the hospital. At the very least if I knew he was going to die, I could have at least said goodbye and told him I loved him instead of resenting the fact that him choosing the business instead of his kids led him to such a perilous fate of once again being shot. It was a guilt that would gnaw at me for the rest of my life.

In an effort to change this miserable topic, I shifted the conversation. "You don't need to hear that depressing story so tell me something you've never told anyone."

She thought for a moment, perhaps mentally sifting through the many secrets she held to find the one that was not too incriminating or embarrassing. "I've watched the relationships of everyone around me crash and burn, including my parents, my brothers, and my own. But somewhere deep, deep down inside I still want that all consuming, once in a lifetime love, complete with a big back yard and a dog. Maybe a Golden Lab or a Maltese."

I really did not mean to laugh but could not help it. I was not laughing that she wanted a great love, I was just laughing at the fact she wanted a big back yard and a dog. After the way she told me her family was constantly caught up in some big adventure, I figured she would be just as eager to follow the same path not settle for a storybook life.

Her mouth turned to a frown when I continued to laugh and I knew it must have seemed mean like I was making fun or her but I truly was not. "I'm not laughing at you, I swear. You just keep surprising me. I figured you would want adventure like your parents."

Realizing I was not getting my amusement at her expense, she relaxed. "I do want adventure and I want to travel but not forever. At some point I want roots; you know something and someone to come back to." At least she had an idea of what she wanted in life. I would not mind travelling either and getting into trouble with her all around the world. Plus we would have lots of chances to join the mile high club. "What have you never told anyone?"

"What happened on the balcony; you are the first and still only woman I have ever done that to." I admitted.

A brief air of surprise left her silent, but then it was her turn to laugh at my confession. Now I knew how she felt before when I laughed, because I was not so sure if she was laughing at me or the situation, but my pride decided to assume it was the situation. "You had never done it before? I never would have guessed." Pride also decided to take that as a complement. "Why me?"

The dreaded question I still had not quite figured out the answer to just yet, only that Lulu seemed to have an unexplainable hold on me like no other woman; except for those in my immediate family. "Intense curiosity… amongst other things."

"Like?" Her face lit up with intrigue as she scooted closer, now sitting directly next to me.

Taking advantage of her close proximity I curved my arm around her waist, shifting her even closer, and surprisingly my advances were not met with resistance. She was so close now our shoulders were touching and I could smell the sweet scent coming from her hair. I could never figure out what she used that made her hair and skin smell so good all the time, but it was an alluring scent that made me want to shut myself off from the world for a few days and stay in this bed close to her, even if it was just to hold her.

"The reason I never did it is because I think it's one of the most personal things you can do with a woman, and there was never a woman I wanted that kind of connection with until now. You make me possessive in way that's very disturbing because I don't remember any woman ever having that effect on me." I must have lost my mind for admitting this, yet once I started talking the words just kept tumbling out.

"So you want to possess me?" Lulu surprisingly swung her leg across my lap, straddling me once again, but this time her actions were deliberate. The dress rode up in the same way it had before, exposing traces of red tantalizing lace. "How about if I get a tattoo with your name right here?" She asked pointing to the bikini line that the red lace barely covered. "Would that work?"

Even though I knew the question was purely sarcastic, my vision burned into the spot she identified picturing my full name right next to one of my favorite parts of her anatomy. That would be interesting: seeing my name every time I kissed her there, tracing my tongue over each letter knowing that if any other man dared to venture he would find that she belonged to another. _Get a grip Dante you really do sound possessive and she isn't even yours. _While I would love to see my name permanently inked into her skin in a place I considered mine alone, the tattoo artist would be getting a peep show and I did not like that idea at all. "Nothing that drastic, it's more like I don't want to share you."

I held the underside of her knees, pulling her closer so that her chest was in my direct line of sight. Of all the dresses I had seen her in this was definitely my favorite, mostly because it accentuated my favorite feature. Unable to help myself, I kissed the top of each breast tentatively, waiting for a reaction. When Lulu made no protests I carried on, pushing away the stretchy material so I could get more access.

"That sounds a little strange coming from the man who when I first met him was adamant about us not being excusive. Why the change of heart?" She asked, her voice taking on a more sensual tone that sounded almost like a purr. I forgot how provocative she sounded in bed and it made me miss being with her even more. Her fingers threaded through my hair while I submerged myself deeper into her cleavage. Beneath the dress, my thumb pressed firmly against the spot I knew would bring her the most pleasure, rubbing it in slow circles until her eyes closed and her lips barely parted in utterance of a desire filled moan. "Mmmhhh"

"That's why." I confirmed, stopping the stimulation when I got the desired reaction, but could not give up on the fixation I had with her breasts, and continued kissing and nibbling gently at the mounds leaving territorial marks. "Because the thought of you reacting like this for another man drives me crazy. I'm afraid if he gets a taste of you he'll be like me and realize he can't get enough." And by 'He' I really meant Johnny but it also went for any other man who showed interest,

Removing my mouth from its current point of fascination at the valley of her breasts, she tilted her head, inching her pink lips teasingly close but never touching mine. "Well that taste you got is going to have to be enough… for now."

I looked up at her with an extremely wide grin hoping that 'for now' meant what I thought it did. "That sounds like I'm getting the chance to hit home runs again."

A similar smile graced her features and she poked me in the chest lightly. "Don't push it. One step at a time ok."

"One step at a time." I agreed closing the miniscule gap and placing a single kiss to her lips, but she deepened it slipping her tongue into my mouth and taking control of the situation. Control which I willingly gave up. The fact that she finally believed me and was giving me a chance meant a lot, and I had no intentions of screwing it up. However she wanted to handle things, whatever she needed me to do I would do it if it meant proving that whatever this was between us deserved a real chance.

**This chapter was short, I know, and lots of talking but it more or less is a stepping stone that gets me where I need to go so I apologize for the lack of action. But in the next chapter time jumps.**

Lots of Love till next time


	16. Temptation is Killing Me

**Hey everyone thank you so much for the wonderful reviews it is so much appreciated. Sorry I took so long but i will try to be quicker next time. ENJOY!**

**16 - Temptation is Killing Me**

**Lulu's POV- July 8****th**

As suspicious as I was of Dante in the beginning, and still a little am, I had to admit that he was a man of his word and had not once tried to seduce me. He had virtually relinquished all control of where we were headed, and let me choose what I was comfortable with and how far I was willing to go. It was killing me for us to be so close and not act on the sexual tension that was like another person in the room, and as much as I had chided him on always trying to seduce me, I missed the innuendos, the subtle yet powerful touches and the way he always had a knack for making me shut out the world with a simple kiss.

Now, I had a compliant Dante who would not lay a hand on me unless I initiated the gesture first. Sometimes I wanted to scream at him '_Rip my clothes off already' _but this was what I asked for and I could not fault him for giving me what I asked; I just never expected him to actually be able to do it. I thought a month tops, then he would be begging for it, but Dante had not made one complaint or tried to talk me into anything. I even expected him to try something while I was asleep then say he didn't mean to, but not even that happened. It was such a complete 180 from the sexually charged man who could turn me on with just a look that sometimes I wondered if he was losing interest, or worse Maxie was right and someone else was doing what I was not.

We had spent the past two months dating, talking and getting to know each other just like any ordinary couple; the only difference was that technically we were married. The transition in our relationship from 'friendly' to friends to more than friends was rocky at first but as time progressed being around Dante, being with him, felt normal and right. The first night we actually had a meaningful conversation left us exhausted and passed out in my bed. That encounter began the first of many where at the end of the day, Dante and I would more often than not lounge around either in my room or his, talking about everything and nothing until we fell asleep. Our sleeping habits had also shifted, where we went from sleeping on either side of the bed, to wrapped in each other's arms. It had become such a routine that whenever Dante was not around my bed felt empty and cold. I would miss the warmth from his chest again my skin since he hardly ever wore a shirt to bed, the feel of his arm protectively across my torso, the rhythm of his breathing slowing as he fell asleep, even the way he would kiss me on the shoulder or the cheek then say morning beautiful when he woke up. His presence was becoming such a huge integration in my life that it was increasingly harder to think of my future and not think of him being a part of it.

I could hear the faint patter of rain hitting the windows and I reluctantly opened my eyes to another day. The sun was nowhere to be found so the room had a darker than usual shadow for this time of the morning and it made me want to stay warm in bed with Dante even more. I honestly came in here with the intention to stay for just a few minutes then leave, but instead I wound up sitting on the bed, then lying down and before I knew it my eyes were closed giving into sleep. Dante's arm was resting across my stomach keeping me trapped in his embrace, so instead of getting up I turned to face him, watching him sleep peacefully. I could not help but smile at his case of bed head where some of his shaggy hair had a mind of its own and stuck out wildly. Touching his head as lightly as possible, I tried to smooth out the wayward strands but they had a stubborn streak just like Dante and would not lay flat.

He stirred and his eyes opened, still cloudy with sleep but smiled catching me watching him. "Sorry I woke you." I apologized removing my hand from his hair.

When he stretched, I stared at the muscles in his arms and upper chest contract then loosen as he moved. Was it crazy that I wanted to climb on top of him to feel those muscles moving beneath my body? "No it's good that you did, I have to meet with some coffee buyers this morning."

"It's Saturday." I whined wishing we could stay wrapped up in each other longer.

"Coffee business has no regard for Saturdays beautiful."

"Do you actually import coffee or is it still a front for the business like Sonny used to do?" I asked causing Dante to freeze, obviously surprised by my question. "I'm not trying to pry but it would be nice to know what I could be getting myself into."

We never spoke about the business mostly because it never came up but I was not naïve enough to believe that he was taking over some of Sonny's holdings and not doing anything illegal. If we were going to try a relationship I wanted to know what he was doing. For years I had seen what Carly went through as a result of the life Sonny led and I had experienced firsthand what having ties to the mob could result in so if I was going to get involved with Dante I wanted to go with eyes wide open.

"You can ask me anything and yes I do actually import and sell coffee but it's also how we launder money from the business." He told me honestly.

"Did you want to be a part of the organization or was it more like a birthright thing?" I had no intention of pursuing the conversation, but Sonny had always been adamant about keeping his kids away from the violence in his life yet Dante was involved. Maybe it was similar to the way Anthony wanted Johnny - his firstborn son, his only son – to take over his life's work.

"Well Jason runs the organization now. I mostly handle the somewhat legit side like the coffee business, the warehouses, the casinos and our transport routes. My Ma never wanted me to be a part of it and she made my dad swear to never let me into that side of his world or he would never see me. For the most part he kept his word, but as I got older I got more and more curious so as a consolation he started teaching me to run the less dangerous side of things. When I would visit he taught me how to use a gun, would let me oversee the unloading of shipments, I would sit in on some of his not so legal deals and even got arrested once or twice. I know enough about the business to get my hands really dirty if it comes down to that, but I'm not as deep in as Jason or my dad was if that's what you're worried about."

Well that was not too bad. It wasn't like he was ordering hits and gunning people down in the middle of the street so I guess I could live with that. Besides it was no different from what Johnny used to Haunted Star for. "I'm sure your mom is grateful for you not exactly following Sonny's footsteps."

"She's doesn't really like this idea since what I'm doing technically is illegal so we don't talk about it. But if she had any idea how much my dad actually taught me about the guns, illegal shipments and all the other stuff I used to do when I came to Port Charles she probably would have been the one to murder him. That's why I'm glad she stays in Bensonhurst so she can't keep tabs on me all the time." Dante stroked my shoulder where there was a purple bruise from my pole dancing class. Maxie and I had gotten the hang of it but every so often when we had to try a new trick it would result in a few bruises since we fell a lot. "Since we're asking questions I'm really curious where you and Maxie go that makes you come home with bruises sometimes."

I was not about to admit that Maxie and I were going to a pole dancing class. The class was a lot of fun and we were learning a lot of cool tricks I was considering trying out for Dante, maybe for his birthday. Then I remembered I had no idea when his birthday was and made a mental note to check that out. "It's a special exercise facility, but totally worth it since I've never felt better. But don't tell Maxie I said that because she would never let me forget it."

There was no indication in his features whether he believed me or not, but either way I was not going to divulge that secret, at least not yet. Instead of questioning further like I knew he was tempted to, Dante simply kissed me on the cheek. "Your secret's safe with me beautiful. I'm going to shower." Then rolled out of bed heading into his bathroom.

There was a deep longing in me to hear one of his cocky comments. Two months ago I could guarantee that he would have extended an invitation to join him, and to be honest I would take him up on it now, but unfortunately Dante was on his best behavior as per my request, leaving me incredibly hot and bothered.

Before my mind had the chance to stray to torrid, lustful places, Dante's ringing cell phone kept me in the here and now. I glanced at the screen randomly and saw Brooke-Lynn's name flash across the screen. _What the hell! _I had forgotten she had even existed but like a nasty infection she flared just when you thought you had gotten rid of her. I was tempted to answer the phone but I wasn't sure how Dante would feel about me answering his calls so I let it ring until she hung up. Seconds after the ringing stopped a voicemail alert sounded and I was dying with curiosity to know what she wanted. Dante had said they were friends but what kind of friends I really was not sure.

My eyes kept darting to the phone on the end table. It was practically calling my name to pick it up. There would be no harm if I took one little peek through his text messages and call log just to see if they were keeping in touch. It wasn't like I was trying to crack his voicemail password. For a split second the thought crossed my mind but I quickly banished the thought since that might take some time, not to mention it was a serious invasion of privacy. One quick peek would be harmless.

When I clicked inbox there were a series of texts from Brooke-Lynn. They started out relatively boring 'How are you?', 'How do you like Port Charles?', 'Is my grandmother still giving you a hard time?' then the messages got more familiar and personal. 'The 4th of July street fair wasn't the same without you.', 'We should hang out when I get back to Port Charles.', 'I miss you.' the more I read the more infuriated I became. Brooke-Lynn may have dressed tacky sometimes but she never struck me as deluded so for her to keep sending texts he must have been answering them and possibly flirting with her. Maxie had warned me repeatedly that the chances of Dante being abstinent were highly unlikely and what he was not getting from me he could easily get from someone else, but I did not want to believe he would lie to my face.

Although it would hurt knowing Dante had been deceiving me all his time, it would really get under my skin if the person he was doing it with was Brooke-Lynn. Her smug grin at the wedding flashed in my mind once again and I wished I had followed through on ripping every strand of hair from her head like I had originally planned. I probably should not judge her since I didn't know her that well but I did not trust her one bit.

**Dante's POV - Later that day**

If Lulu was worth all this aggravation I would not be going through the trouble of driving myself deeper and deeper into sexual frustration. I was seconds away from banging my head against a wall, but as a man of my word I promised to take things as slow as Lulu wanted so I planned to fulfill my promise even if I had to die trying. While having her so close without any sexual contact created a different sort of intimacy than I was used to, I missed really being with her.

It had been three long excruciating months since we were together, and with every second that ticked by visions of being wrapped up in her, hearing her moan while I kissed her all over became more and more vivid. At one point when I was in the shower I could swear I felt her arms around me, and her lips placing sensual kisses along my back; only to turn around and be met with empty space instead of a wet and naked Lulu.

On the upside, the longer I played things her way the more she seemed to trust me, and if I gained her trust then the rest would happen naturally. I pulled the ringing cell from my pocket, checking the ID. "Hey beautiful." I answered.

"Hi are you coming home soon?" She asked.

Home. It was so comforting to hear her call the penthouse home as opposed to the house or some arbitrary pronoun she normally used. "In an hour or so." It felt so normal and right to be like any other young couple living together. I always thought the day I decided to cohabitate with my girlfriend would be a downward spiral to the end of freedom as I knew it, but living with Lulu was way more interesting than living alone. It helped that we had our own personal space but I still loved the subtle feminine aura her presence offered.

"Oh, I was hoping you could help me with something." She sounded disappointed, and I hated to make her sad or disappointed. It always made me want to do whatever was necessary to hear that vibrant timbre in her voice once again.

It was still a mystery to me as to how she had managed to have me practically wrapped around her finger without even trying. "What do you need?"

Lulu exhaled what sounded like a cross between a sigh and a moan, or maybe my wayward thoughts were getting the best of me again and it was all in my head. "Well I've had this really bad ache all day that just won't go away. So I came home and took a bath with that bubble bath you said smells really good on me, hoping that would help. Oh and I used your bathroom since the tub is bigger, I hope you don't mind."

I gulped trying to dislodge the ball that seemed to be stuck in my throat preventing me from talking. The image of Lulu in my tub, naked, covered in bubbles, smelling like that alluring scent I loved so much instantly entered my mind. It was one of the many visions that had plagued my thoughts the past three months, and just thinking that it was finally happening put all coherent thoughts on the backburner and I was now running off pure, desperate need.

"Uhhh n-no… did it help?" My words stumbled out as I finally found my voice.

"No. Then I thought maybe resting for a little while would help so I got into your bed, under the covers, and the sheets felt sooo good against my skin." She completed her sentence with a low emphatic moan like she had received just the right amount of pleasure. I imagined Lulu lying in my bed, on her back, with one hand holding the phone while the other hand trailed across her nude form slow and teasing, stopping at strategic places. _I wonder if she's doing what I think she's doing? _"But the weirdest thing happened. Lying naked in your bed almost seemed to make things worse. The ache spread through my entire body. It started from my lips, to my neck, then my breasts, my stomach and it's excruciating between my legs. I was hoping that you could come home and take care of me, but since you're busy…"

To hell with what I was doing here, there was no way I would pass up an invitation like that. "I'm on my way"

"Hurry or I may have to try to feel better all by myself." She warned in a seductive tone before hanging up, and I had to bite my inner cheek just to keep from groaning.

I literally ran to the car and pulled into oncoming traffic like a bat out of hell, bobbing and weaving between cars, undoubtedly being a danger to other drivers. Hopefully the cops did not try to pull me over for dangerous driving since that would only make the journey longer. People were irritably honking their horns at me as broke several traffic laws trying to bypass other drivers. If I could force the car to fly I would; that's how desperate I was to get to Lulu.

The message alert sounded on my cell and I grabbed it from the passenger seat where I had initially thrown it, while trying to keep the car steady with one hand on the steering wheel. When I opened the text a full length picture of Lulu loaded on the screen: NAKED. My mouth hung open for a few seconds in shock, staring at her from every angle the picture allowed. She seriously sent me a naked picture of herself showing off every spectacular curve that haunted my dreams. This was like a teenage fantasy comes true.

I was so engrossed in staring at the picture I forgot I should have been paying attention to traffic. By the time my eyes reverted to the road I saw the stoplight on red and a car already stationary at the light. At the speed I was going there was no way my brakes would hold quick enough to prevent me from hitting the car in front of me that was actually abiding the traffic laws, so I swerved to avoid hurting an innocent driver and collided with the guard rail instead. I always knew Lulu would be the death of me, I just did not realize how true that was going to be.

**Lulu's POV**

After spending most of the morning fuming that Dante might be playing me for a fool, I took a step back and considered what if Brooke was interested in Dante but the feelings were not mutual. If that were the case then I would be handing him over wrapped in a big red bow, and I would be damned if I were going to make it that easy for the wretch to sink her claws into him. These Bensonhurst women were bringing out the worst side of me, but if I had to play dirty then so be it.

My feet kicked aimlessly as I watched the minutes go by on the clock. What was taking him so long? Not even with traffic it should take this long to get here from the warehouse. At this rate the mood would totally be ruined by the time he got here. I had spent the afternoon planning what I was hoping would be an amazing night. Scented candles fragranced and illuminated the room, soft music floated in the background, while I was lying on my stomach on Dante's bed waiting patiently for him to get back. When I called to issue the invite I could hear the change in his breathing as I my words become more and more suggestive. My only wish was that I could have seen his face when he saw the text, well more like sext, I sent. If it had the effect I thought it did, Dante would be completely at my mercy. If only he would get here already.

My cell phone rang and I thought it was Dante explaining what was taking him so long but it turned out to be my brother instead. "Hi Lucky." I answered disappointed.

"Lulu, I just got a call from one of the street cops, Dante was in a car accident." He explained.

"Accident?" Fear immediately took over as I jumped from the bed on full alert, already pulling on a shirt. "Is he okay?"

"I'm not sure. He crashed into the guard rail on Harbor View Road. The ambulance took him to GH."

_Oh my God, what did I do?_ I had told him to hurry, then sent him the text knowing he was driving. What if he got distracted and ran off the road because of the picture? Dante could be seriously injured or worse dead all because I sent him that stupid text. "I have to go." I told Lucky then ended the call without saying goodbye. I turned in several directions looking around the room for my keys then remembered I was in Dante's room and sprinted down the hall to my room to get my keys and some pants.

With every move, thoughts of Dante lying hurt and helpless in a hospital bed tormented my mind, so much so that by the time I made it to the car there were tears running down my cheeks and I hadn't even realized I was crying. I never meant for this to happen, it was all supposed to be a fun build-up to a spectacular night. I just never expected it to go so horribly wrong.

**General Hospital**

How I made it here so quickly, I had no idea. Adrenaline must have been my pilot since I could barely see straight through my own tears. I stepped off the 10th floor elevator looking for a familiar face that could tell me what was going on when thankfully Elizabeth had just rounded the corner. "Elizabeth have you seen Dante, he was in a car accident."

"I just came on duty a few minutes ago, but I can find out for you." She offered placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder before she left.

It was impossible for me to stay still because if I did I knew my mind would be overrun with worst case scenarios. I made a few steps towards the waiting area but the sight of people so sad and worried made me change my mind. Being around that negativity would only spiral me further into a pit of despair and I was not ready to face my fear of Dante's mortality.

I tried to shut out the world around me and focus on something hopeful, but the commotion coming from behind a curtain down the hall kept slipping its way into my attention. A nurse and doctor came from behind the curtain sadly, and the doctor handed her a chart. "Accident victim was dead on arrival."

Before I could stop myself, my legs were moving down the hall towards the scene. _It's not Dante, it's not Dante, it's not Dante. _I repeated in my head, refusing to think that the universe, fate, God, whomever, could be this cruel. With shaking fingers, I slowly pushed aside the curtain and saw a body completely covered with a sheet. The only think I could see was hair – dark brown/black hair like Dante's. _So what, a lot of people have dark hair. _"W-what happened to h-hhim?" I stuttered to nurse, not recognizing my own voice due to the fear clouding it.

"He lost control of his car. The police think he was distracted by his cell phone."

"Oh my God." I backed away from the body until my back hit the wall. All I could do was stare at the cold, lifeless body in the bed, letting every emotion I could possibly feel hit me all at once leaving me hot, cold, angry, sad, sick, denial and countless other things I could not pinpoint. This had to be some awful nightmare, and in a few minutes I would wake up lying next to Dante with his arm protectively around me. I closed my eyes tight willing myself to wake up and prove this was just a dream. _Wake up Lulu, you're dreaming. Just wake up and Dante will be right next to you._ I opened and closed my eyes several times, only to have my hopes dashed away by sounds of hospital staff being paged and this lifeless body in front of me… Dante's body.

"Miss are you ok?" I heard the nurse ask with concern.

My head shook in disbelief wondering how this had happened. Just this morning everything was fine, and now this. "This wasn't supposed to happen. It was just fun. I didn't think…" My voice trailed off into an anguished sob. What was I supposed to tell his mother, his grandmother, his siblings and the rest of his family? How was I supposed to explain what happened? How was I supposed to live with a guilty conscience of knowing I killed yet another man; and this time it was not self defense.

"You're shaking. Come over here and sit down for a minute." She guided me over to the waiting area where those people were before. The people I had tried to stay away from because I didn't want to think the worse. Now I was living the worse. "Would you like me to call someone for you or get you something?"

"I never meant for this to happen. We fight sometimes, and I give him a hard time but it was all because I was afraid. I was scared to let him in even though he was already a part of my life." I brushed away the tears repeatedly spilling from my eyes, but the more I brushed the faster they came. "If he saw how much of a mess I was he'd probably say something stupid and cheesy just to make me laugh."

"You don't have to cry beautiful I still have every intention of making you feel better once I get out of here."

My mind was already playing tricks on me hearing his voice in my head utter one of those stupid lines. I laughed despite the tears at the insanity of it all. "Something stupid like that."

Within seconds that cute dimpled smile came into my line of sight and for a second I thought I was hallucinating the same way I had with Logan, but Elizabeth was actually there pushing him in a wheelchair. I jumped from the chair and lunged into him, wrapping both arms around his neck, feeling like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. I had never been so happy to see someone in a long time.

"I guess I should wreck my car more often." He said hugging me back with laughter in his voice. When I realized what he put me through, and still had the nerve to be making jokes when I was scared out of my mind, I smacked him across the shoulder. "Owww, you're not supposed to hit patients, that's abuse." He stated rubbing the spot.

"You jerk. I thought you were dead. I saw the body of some poor guy with dark hair that died in a car accident, and I thought I was never going to see you again." I screeched more out of relief than real anger. To think someone you cared about was dead, then find out they were alive and safe had to be the biggest reprieve in the world but also one of the scariest.

"Dante was unconscious when he was brought in. Dr. Drake doesn't see any signs of head trauma or internal bleeding but he had a few tests run to be on the safe side. If the scans come back clean we'll just keep him overnight for observations." Elizabeth clarified. "I'm going to take him back to his room."

Hearing that the preliminaries were good made me feel even better, but I still wanted to wait for the test results before I completely relaxed. "I'll be there in a while."

"It's room 1015."

When Dante and Elizabeth disappeared down the hall, I turned sheepishly to the nurse who had tried to help me through my meltdown. She must have thought I was a complete basket case as this point. "I'm sorry about earlier. I'm so embarrassed."

She waved me off not fazed in the least. I guess in her time working here she must have encountered worse misunderstandings than this, and more hysterical people than me; but I was still so embarrassed for my reaction. "Don't worry about it. You thought the man you love was dead, it's completely natural to react the way you did."

"Love?" I shrieked at the insinuation. What was she talking about love? I didn't love Dante. "It's not like that. I mean we're together, at least I think we're together but I'm not in love with him." I assured.

Obviously I liked him and I cared about him but it was nowhere near love. We barely knew each other. Half the time he drove me crazy but the other half the time he turned me on like no other. He also made up for driving me crazy by being incredibly sweet and considerate, not to mention he was a great cook. But that didn't mean I was in love with him; it was more like somewhere between like and lust and care.

The middle aged woman gave me this strange all-knowing look, like the one your mom would give you when you swore up and down you didn't have a crush yet you were scribbling the guy's name in your notebook with hearts around it and writing your name with his last name. "If you say so, but the way you reacted when you thought he was dead sounded like a woman who is at the very least falling in love."

"I should go." I told her with an awkward smile, not really liking where this conversation was going.

My reaction was not out of love, it was concern; I was allowed to be concerned after all we were married. Plus I would never wish any harm to come to Dante. Sure he could be a pain but I didn't want him to die. It wasn't love, I was sure of it. _Then why are you trying so hard to convince yourself?_ Some part of my subconscious added. Great now my own mind was working against me.

I went to Dante's room and he was back in bed while Elizabeth updated his chart. She made her notes then placed the folder back in the slot before directing her attention back to us. "Now are you two going to play nice or do I need to send in a referee?"

"Feel free to lock the door on your way out and we certainly will play nice." Dante told her eyeing me up and down blatantly. So much for him being well behaved; that had clearly gone out the window now. As much as I hated to admit it I missed this side of him and was glad to see it back.

Nonetheless I clasped my hand over his mouth to keep him quiet. The outside world did not need to know our bantering secrets. "Ignore him. Thanks for everything Liz."

"No problem." She assured shaking her head and laughing as she exited the room.

We must have seemed like the most dysfunctional pair ever, but considering both our families I would say we were the somewhat sane ones of the bunch.

Once she was gone I removed my hand and started tucking the sheets in around him trying to keep busy. "Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat since hospital food sucks. I should go get you a change of clothes too."

Dante held my wrist so I would stop, then linked his fingers with mine. "I'm fine beautiful… relax." He brought our joined hands to his lips, kissing my hand in reassurance.

Sighing, I sat on the edge of the bed letting myself really breathe for the first time since I got that dreaded call from Lucky. The fear I felt before was unimaginable and I did not think I could manage to deal with something like that again. "Just don't scare me like that again."

His fingers unlinked from mine, trailing up my arm to pull me closer so that we were a few inches apart. "I'll try not to, but it would help if you didn't send anymore naked pictures of yourself while I'm driving. It's very distracting."

"I'll remember that." I whispered before our lips met in sweet, heart-melting kiss.

Despite being in a hospital gown he still managed to be so adorable with those dimples and puppy dog brown eyes. I was turning into such an easy mark with him, and Spencers were never supposed to be the mark. Yet with one smile and some charming words I found myself giving into what he wanted. Even though there were a million butterflies fluttering in my stomach, my heartbeat was going a mile a minute and I felt lighter than a feather as if I could actually fly, this was not love. It was just an overwhelming attraction to a gorgeous, sexy, surprisingly wonderful man who had insinuated him into my life through an arranged marriage. I was not falling in love… I think.

**Dante's POV - The Next Day**

While I appreciated Lulu's unwavering attempt at taking care of me, she was going overboard with the hovering. She came back to the hospital early this morning and had not left my side since. Even when Patrick said my tests were clean and there were no complications she was still treating me like a kid. I never thought there was anyone who could give my mother and grandmother a run for their money when it came to lingering but Lulu was coming seriously close.

We got back to the penthouse and she was still acting like the energizer bunny on speed. "Do you want to stay down here or would you rather be in your room? It might be better if you're upstairs; I can just bring up whatever you need." She offered.

I grabbed both her shoulders from behind so she would stay still then turned her around hoping what I said would actually sink in. "Count to 10 and stop. It was just a bump on the head, and considering I've been knocked out cold six times, this is nothing."

"Six?" She asked incredulously. "It's a wonder you don't have brain damage by now."

"I'm hard headed like that."I told her tucking a few misplaced strands of hair behind her ear. "Speaking of hard, did I mention how much of a turn on that picture was? Because it was very, very sexy."

Toying with the hem of her shirt I slipped my hand beneath the cotton, laying it flat against her stomach then curving it around her waist. I loved how her skin was always so smooth, warm and inviting in every way. It was amazing how any man had managed to let her go because I was having a hard time doing it. Still holding her waist I walked her backwards to the stairs trying to get her to go up but she stretched her arms out horizontally, preventing us from going any further. "I'm not doing this. You just got out of the hospital, you need to rest." She told me adamantly.

"But this will help me feel better." I said sliding my hands up her torso and unpinning the bra beneath. The more I touched, caressing her breasts firmly in each hand, her arms fell slowly and her eyes dilated until they closed. "Since that picture was the reason I ran off the road don't you think you owe me some kind of compensation for my pain and suffering?" I asked pulling the shirt and the bra off once her arms had completely lowered.

It had been a while since I'd seen her so exposed so I stared for a moment taking in all her allure. Every time I saw her without clothes it amazed me how much fascination her body still held. Sure I had seen it all before but each time just seemed to get better. She was not shy about being naked, well half naked, and spurred me on as my mouth latched onto her neck branding her as mine.

"You aren't… in any pain… and… you certainly… aren't suffering." She moaned between words taking a step backwards up the stairs and pulling me with her.

Placing my lips against her ear I traced my tongue along the lobe, feeling her shudder in my arms with each stroke. I loved that she was so responsive to my advances and seriously contemplated not bothering to go upstairs and having my way with her right here on the steps."See that's where you're wrong beautiful. I think I have that ache you were telling me about and I've been dying to taste you again." I confessed, unbuttoning her jeans. Lulu did not move or stop me, and watched lustily as I unzipped her pants making an attempt to pull them off.

Before I could get very far there was a knock at the door, ceasing our actions. It never failed; whenever Lulu and I were getting close something always happened to stop us. The universe seemed to be on a mission to make sure we never had sex again, but I would be damned if I let the universe screw me over.

"Ignore that, whoever it is will leave if we don't answer." I told her, guiding her upstairs. We got three quarters the way up but the person kept knocking determined not to leave. "What the hell!" I cursed getting tired of this conspiracy the world had against us.

Lulu laughed at my frustration, unraveling herself from my embrace. "I'm going to get in the shower. Get rid of whoever that it and meet me in there." Then gave me one last teasing kiss before running up the rest of the way. _She was so damn sexy._

Reluctantly I trudged over to the door thinking whoever it was better have a good reason for having such horrible timing, and unless it were life or death it would have to wait.

To my surprise when I opened the door Brooke-Lynn was in front of me dressed in white super short shorts that showed off her seriously long tanned legs and a gold metallic bikini top under a sheer white see through blouse. I opened my mouth several times to say something but was still shocked to see her here and dressed like that. She had always been like a little sister to me but I was not blind.

"Hi." She greeted giving me a tight hug and I hugged her back trying to ignore the fact that she barely had any clothes on. "I was hoping I could convince you to spend the day with me at the beach. It's been so long since we hung out and I miss you."

"Dante what's taking so long?" Lulu said from inside, and I immediately let Brook go to look back at Lulu who was on the stairs wrapped in just a towel.

Both women saw each other and stared, neither making movements nor exchanging greetings; just assessing the other in that way women did without having to say a word. Watching the two of them, I was starting to wish I was back in the hospital because I had a feeling I was going to be the bad guy and someone was going to be mad at me so matter what I said.

I was so freakin' screwed.

**Comment, comment, comment good bad or indifferent**

**Lots of Love and enjoy the rest of the week :-D**


	17. Tonight Imma Fight!

**I love all of your reviews and i'm glad everyone is enjoying the story. The prevailing question seems to be when are they going to do it already lol. I'm getting there no worries. Just have some patience.**

**17 – Tonight Imma Fight!**

**Dante's POV**

_I was so freakin' screwed. _Lulu was now in the middle of the living room, while Brooke-Lynn was still in the doorway, both of them staring at me waiting for an answer. I felt like those characters on television who were faced with a dilemma, so the angel and devil appeared on either of my shoulders coercing me to both their sides. On one side was Lulu who was so was deliciously tempting in nothing but a towel and on the other side was Brooke who was my oldest friend. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt anyone's feelings.

Brooke reached out lightly touching the bruise at my temple. "What happened to your head?"

From the corner of my eye I could see Lulu's teeth practically grinding with aggravation so I took a step back away from Brooke's touch. "I got into a minor car accident."

"Oh my gosh, you probably shouldn't be going to the beach then." Brooke said sounding very concerned. "Well how about I make you both dinner instead? Dante loves my chicken cacciatore, and Lulu since I know you can't cook it would save you the trouble of ordering takeout." She said looking over my shoulder to Lulu.

Lulu took a step closer to the door and I made sure to stay in between them just in case things got progressively worse. I'm sure Lulu could hold her own in a fight but I never underestimated a Bensonhurst woman when it came to fighting. "Brooke can I take a rain check on that offer? It's been a long weekend and I'm not really up to dinner."

"Plus I'm sure that dish is going to take a while and I wouldn't want you to be out and about when it's dark, someone might mistake you for a prostitute." Lulu added with a tight grin.

_So they can't stand each other. _I realized after they started making understated jabs at each other. While I appreciated Brooke's concern, it was making Lulu angrier by the second and considering how well things were going before, the last thing I wanted to deal with was an angry Lulu.

"Sure, I'll be in town for a while, call me if you need anything, day or night."

Lulu stepped around me but thankfully Brooke had left before she could do any physical damage. I cared about them both and wanted them to get along but clearly that was not going to happen until hell froze over

"Dante loves my chicken cacciatore." Lulu mocked before slamming the door shut.

I looked at her surprised at the jealously overtaking her. Of all people, Brooke was the last person she needed to be jealous of. She was not remotely a threat to Lulu because I never had the thoughts or desire to go there. Our families wanted us to get together but the connection beyond friendship just was not there.

"What?" Lulu asked catching my perplexed expression.

"'Someone might mistake you for a prostitute' Did you have to say that?" I asked still not believing how easily Brooke had managed to rattle her chain. Even in Bensonhurst when Lulu had encountered Nicole she was a lot more composed and handled her more cunningly than with the blatant hostility she had shown Brooke.

"She started it, saying I can't cook."

"But you _can't_ cook." I pointed out. Not to be insulting because I really did not care about her culinary ability, but it was just a matter of fact that she and the kitchen were distant acquaintances at best. The comment was not well received to I took the hint from her deathly stare and tried again. "She's gone so it doesn't matter. Let's just pick up where we left off." I suggested holding the edges of her towel hoping the get the covering from around her.

As I leaned in for a kiss, Lulu pressed her hand against my chest pushing me back. "Hold on." I knew it would not have been that easy. "Don't you see she's into you?"

"It's not like that. Brooke and I have been friends forever; she's like a little sister." I explained, not saying that just to kill the budding argument but it was the God's honest truth.

She rolled her eyes pulling the towel closer. _Great. _"Well I'm pretty sure your "little sister" is having some very incestuous thoughts about you. What kind of friend shows up barely dressed to ask a married friend of the opposite sex to spend the day with her at the beach? That's code for I'm trying to seduce you."

This was completely ridiculous. Brooke-Lynn had never brought up any interest in being more than my friend and vice versa. Admittedly she could be very protective when it came to the women I dated (if you want to call it dating), but that was just her way of showing she cared. What made this situation even more ridiculous was I was not the only one with an overprotective friend. Johnny had made it clear that under no circumstances was I to hurt Lulu, not to mention he knew a lot about her. If you asked me that sounded like more than friendly concern.

"Since we're talking about friends, I ran into Johnny in Kelly's a few months back and he seems to know a lot about you. He also made a point of warning me not to hurt you. Care to explain what that's about because that sounds like more than a friend to me." I pointed out.

Lulu opened her mouth incredulously at the insinuation. "Stop trying to turn this around on me!" Her voice rose a pitch. I was not about argue with her or yell, that would just make things worse so I figured the best thing to do would have been to keep quiet until she came to her senses. Once she saw I refused to engage she calmed down. "Brooke-Lynn is your friend and if you want to hang out with her that's fine, but don't expect me to sit around and watch her throw herself at you."

She stomped up the stairs obviously pissed and I shook my head wondering how the day had spiraled so out of control. Half an hour ago we were fine, and now we were back to arguing. It seemed that every time we made one step in the right direction, we took two steps back. Were we ever going to get it right?

"Lulu." I called trudging up the stairs to apologize and say whatever I had to to bring her back to an amicable state. Halfway up the stairs I heard the door slam and I said a silent prayer asking God to help me. Standing in front on her door I knock lightly, but there was no answer. I could hear her moving about in there so I knocked harder this time. "Come on Lulu open the door, you have nothing to be upset about."

That may have been the wrong choice of words because for a few seconds the room went silent then all of a sudden the door swung open. Lulu was now fully dressed in a simple, strapless cotton blue and white summer dress that stopped at her knees, with flip flops. She looked way younger than her age and the anger drenching her face did not take away from how incredibly cute she was.

"Nothing to be upset about?" Her voice had hit that higher pitch again. I guess that was the angry pitch. "That… that…bi…"

"Person." I interrupted before the word bitch came out.

Lulu huffed, cutting her eyes at me. "Shows up at our house barely dressed, asking you to spend the day with her at the beach and you think I have nothing to be upset about?"

"She meant it as a friend."

"Well by all means don't let me stop you." Lulu took up her cell phone and started dialing some number. "I'll just call Johnny and see if he feels like hanging out on his speed boat, and I know you won't mind since he and I are just friends."

I had no idea if she was serious or not, but either way I grabbed the cell phone from her hand. "Like hell you are."

"Oh so you can hang out with Brooke but I can't hang out with Johnny?"

"Yes." I answered immediately, but then realized how hypocritical and sexist that sounded and retracted the statement knowing I was taught better than that. "I mean no… wait I mean…" Lulu raised a questioning eyebrow at me as I dug myself deeper and deeper. Finally I gave up trying to come to an agreement and figured it would be better to just agree to disagree where Johnny and Brooke-Lynn were concerned. "Look this isn't getting us anywhere. We're entitled to have friends of the opposite sex but we need to make sure that we trust each other or this relationship is never going to work."

A smiled inched across her lips slowly. _I guess I said something right. _"We're in a relationship? So does that mean I'm your girlfriend?" She asked playing with the top two buttons on my shirt. The first one came undone and her fingertips teased my neck. _Now we're getting somewhere._ Sometimes it floored me how she could go from happy, to angry to seductive all minutes.

"Sorry I have a wife who gets more and more amazing every day." I teased earnestly.

Lulu stood on her tip toes kissing me possessively. This was one of the things that attracted me to her: her passion. Whenever she put herself into something she did it with full force and all cylinders blazing. This kiss was no different: hot, furious and desirous. I was grateful for her choice of attire because the flowy dress provided easy access to caress all the parts of her I was addicted to. She placed her hand over mine that was beneath the dress, stopping me from reaching the desired destination. _Well so much for getting somewhere._

SinceI promised not to push, this had to happen on her terms so I stopped my feverous pursuit of her body and once again relinquished control. "Let go to Jakes, we haven't gone there in a while." I suggested since it was obvious we were not going to do what I was hoping.

"Are you trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me later?" She whispered sultrily in my ear before nibbling on the spot just below it.

I shuddered at the alternating sensation of her teeth and tongue. _That's going to leave a mark. _I thought, clutching the hem of her dress. _How does she expect me to not want to do ungodly things to her if she keeps doing that? _The hand clutching her dress instinctively moved upwards sinking my fingers into her thighs – soft, smooth thighs. Then I remembered I was supposed to be respecting her wishes and stopped, pulling away before I couldn't stop.

"As much as I find you fascinating as a kinky drunk, I want you sober so that you can feel and remember every single thing that I do to you." The thought had never crossed my mind to get her drunk to sleep with her. That was something I would never do to any woman, especially her. Lulu was way too good for that and I respected her too much to take advantage. She was worth waiting for no matter how long it took.

She gave me this sweltering look that could make me combust at any moment, before going back into the room. _This woman was way too sexy for her good. _"Let me get my purse"

I watched her retrieve a purse from the closet and transfer contents from one bag to another. She flitted around the room with an ease and simplicity that would never make you aware that a few minutes ago she was angry. At least she was not afraid to say what was on her mind. I was raised around a bunch of Italian women, so a woman with a temper was the least of my concern; in fact it made life a lot more interesting and as bad as it sounded made me feel at home. Lulu had a lot of the qualities I wanted in a woman, qualities I wondered if they actually existed outside of my immediate family. So even if took the entire extent of this marriage she would be worth the wait.

**Lulu's POV - Jakes**

As soon as we walked into Jakes the smile on my face morphed to an angry scowl. See what I meant about Brooke-Lynn being like a nasty infection, not only did she always come back, but she just spread everywhere. In the space of about 45 minutes she had gone from ruining the mood at the penthouse by throwing herself at Dante, to now barefacedly doing the same to Johnny. Ok so maybe she did not know that Johnny was dating Maxie but obviously she needed to be informed. I texted Maxie: At Jakes, get here quick skank alert.

Dante and I found a table and I sat on the side which allowed me to keep an eye on the pair. It probably seemed weird that I would be looking out for Maxie and Johnny's relationship considering how they got together in the first place, but Johnny and I were no good for each other so I held no malice against Maxie for the way everything happened. She was truly happy with him and had been an exceptionally good friend to me over the past few years, even keeping the Logan secret after I killed him. If I could do my part to make sure the likes of Brooke-Lynn did not break them up then I was all too happy to be a helpful good friend.

"What do you want to drink?" I heard Dante say but was too engrossed to answer, since my attention had shifted to the bane of my existence. "Why do they interest you so much?" I heard him clearly ask this time, as I'm sure he noticed I could not take my eyes off Brooke-Lynn and Johnny. The way she was trying to hang all over him was sickening and I hoped Maxie got here soon since Johnny seemed to be touchy subject with Dante. We had just got over our latest argument and I was not trying to start something all over again.

"I don't like her." I answered wanting to keep the peace, but got the feeling that it would be inevitable since I could not sit back and watch Brooke-Lynn insinuate herself further into my life.

"You don't like her, or you don't like that she's interested in Johnny?" Our eyes locked glaring at each other. _He's baiting you_, _it will just start another argument. _I told myself. Answering would only result in more conflict and we should be going forward not backward.

Instead of answering I went to the bar and ordered two beers. While the waitress got my drinks I turned to them casually. _Stupid decision I know, but I just could not kelp it._ "Wow you work fast - first Dante and now Johnny. Do you charge by the hour too?" I asked not even attempting to hide my dislike for her.

The girl seriously had no shame. She jumped from man to man like this was a game of hopscotch. Although I was grateful she was not hitting on Dante YET, I was not going to sit around and watch her try to get her clutches into Johnny. Until Maxie showed up, I could at least put a wrench in whatever twisted scheme she had in mind.

"I don't know what world you're living in but in this one two people are allowed to have a conversation." Brooke remarked.

Even the sound of her voice irritated me. The accent was so damn irritating, and it was just her because I had no problem with the way Olivia and the rest of Dante's family spoke. I swear Brooke-Lynn needed speech therapy or something. It was like Jersey Shore but 100 times more annoying.

"With the way you were hanging all over him it's clear that you aren't looking for conversation." I called her out also glaring at Johnny. What was even doing wasting time with her anyway?

"So what if I am? How is that your business, you're married remember?"

I was silently begging for her to raise a hand at me first just so I had an excuse the beat the crap out of her. It would not be very lady like, especially since I was wearing a dress but I would have no problem defending myself if it came down to it.

"It's called looking out for a friend. Maybe if you dressed better you could find some." Maxie said coming around the corner into Jakes.

Thank God, now this would really get interesting.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Great Tweedledum is here."

"If you know what's good for you, stay away from Johnny and Dante. Better yet go back to your so called music career in Brooklyn or wherever you were." Maxie told her with an attitude, showing just as much dislike for her as I had.

She really had no idea who she was messing with. Maxie and I had years of practice scheming, fighting and plotting against each other, so together we were a force to be reckoned with. All we needed was a month and she would be back to Brooklyn so fast she would not know what hit her.

Dante came over to the scene standing next to me, seeing us women in somewhat if a circle, and staring at each other predatory like. "Is everything ok here?"

This was not okay because the three of us were out for blood and it was going to get ugly I could just feel it. The question is who would strike first.

"Everything's fine Dante. I'm just finally realizing how much things have really changed in Port Charles. I remember a time when Maxie and Lulu couldn't stand each other. In fact," She pointed to Maxie. "You ruined Lulu's brother's marriage, supplied him with pills knowing he was addicted and pretended to be pregnant with his baby. And you," She pointed to me. "Ruined her sister's marriage and actually got pregnant then decided a kid was too much of an inconvenience so you had an abortion. Now that I think about it, it makes sense that you're bff's. Whores of a feather flock together."

_Bitch, Bitch, Bitch, Bitch, BITCH! _I screamed on the inside_. _My hand had already curled into a fist to knock the life out of her but Maxie beat me to it back slapping her with enough force to make her stumble backwards. Brooke-Lynn's initial shock quickly wore off and she raised a hand to retaliate against Maxie but I caught the blow mid swing and pushed her hard.

"You two are so going to regret doing that." And with that the drama really started.

She charged at us and Maxie and I did the same, all three of us falling to the ground pulling hair, clothes; scratching and clawing at arms, legs and any other surface we could find. This Brooklyn bitch had nothing on Maxie and me. After all the time we spent fighting each other, as it turns out we were even better at fighting other people together. I grabbed Brook's hair, pulling hard and wishing it would all come out in my hands. That caused her to yelp loudly like a wounded dog and I could not help but laugh at how ironic it was that she sounded like the whiney bitch she is. Finding the humor in her insipid voice threw me off guard and she managed to kick me in the shin, forcing me to let go of her hair.

Before Brooke could gain anymore advantage to come after me, Maxie grabbed her by the same foot she kicked me with. "Didn't your mother ever teach you it wasn't polite to kick people?" She asked while dragging Brooke backwards, overturning a few chairs in the process. With Maxie keeping Brooke-Lynn's feet out of use, I made a fist with every intention to make sure at least one of her teeth fell out for everything she said about Maxie and me. We were no saints, nor do we pretend to be but Brooke-Lynn was downright wrong for spreading our business like that.

"I guess we're going to have to teach her a lesson." I swung hard putting my entire weight, anger and frustration into the blow. Expecting to feel the triumphant pain in my fingers of knowing I had given that heifer what she deserved, I was greatly disappointed when my fist hit air.

Dante's arms were around my waist pulling me off Brooke and at the same time I saw Johnny doing the same to Maxie. Both us were kicking and flailing for the guys to set us free so we could teach Brooke-Lynn a lesson she clearly needed to learn the hard way. That was low even for her. Not even Maxie had ever sunk that low to throw the abortion back in my face in a room full of people. It was spiteful and deliberate, especially since she knew how Dante and his family felt about abortion. I did not even want to think about what she had told them and even worse what she had told Dante. It was not something I wanted him to find out like this, if I ever wanted him to find out at all.

"Calm down." I heard Johnny tell Maxie who was red faced angry.

But she was probably angrier than I was and kept fighting Johnny. "I will when this skank leaves." Maxie yelled trying to get at Brooke.

Johnny pulled Maxie away from and sat her far away in a corner trying to talk her down. That could have been the end of it all but once again this heifer had to open her mouth and make things worse. "Says the woman who has to sleep with a guy just to get him to pay attention to her. If I were you Johnny I'd watch out, Maxie tends to go after the men in Lulu's life: Lucky, Logan, you. Dante is probably next. Hell I'm surprised she hasn't tried out Luke."

How Dante could ever be friends with someone like her was beyond me. She just did not know when to shut up. Always had to take things one step too far.

"That's enough Brooke-Lynn." Dante told her, but she was on a roll with a captive audience spilling all our secrets.

"It's the truth Dante. You don't know these two. They act all sanctimonious now but they are both nothing but home wreckers."

Now I really was pissed and I tried harder to push Dante's hands off me but he had the advantage of being stronger. Someone needed to teach this girl a lesson and Maxie and I could definitely do it. "I swear I'm gonna kick your ass straight back to Bensonhurst." I yelled.

When I would not stop, Dante dragged me away kicking and screaming until we were outside in the parking lot. Pacing back and forth I was so upset all my senses were paralyzed by rage. Visions of my hands around Brooke's throat took over my thoughts. I wouldn't kill her just because she was not worth a jail sentence but I could scare her a little. "Ohhh I can't stand her. All I need is two minutes alone with her and I will beat her skanky, tacky dressed ass until she's unrecognizable."

"Lulu!" Dante said loud enough to get my attention. I stopped pacing and ranting. "Are you calm enough to drive?"

"Yes." I answered not knowing where he was taking this.

"Go home."

Was he seriously taking her side over mine? After the stunt she just pulled he was actually considering going after her? "Where are you going?" I asked hoping what I thought was happening was not, but I refused to plead and beg him to leave with me. Gone are the days of me trying to make a man stay. As much as I wanted to be with Dante, it had to his choice if he wanted to be with me too. I though he did, but now I was not so sure. Maybe his mind changed after hearing about the abortion.

"I need to talk to Brooke-Lynn. You're angry and I don't want you to do anything stupid so go home." Dante gave me my keys and I snatched them angrily before walking away. What made it worse is he never came after me. I walked to the car hoping, but never had the never to look back. It did not sink in that he actually let me leave until I was almost back to Harbor View Road

If he thought I was going to cry and apologize or pretend I was sorry he had another thing coming. I would never give both of them the satisfaction. Brooke-Lynn had no right to air mine and Maxie's business like that in a room full of people. So if Dante wanted to side with a manipulative, two faced, tacky, bitch then be my guest. He made his choice and was going to have to live with the consequences because from here on there would be no going back. The line was drawn tonight and he crossed it to be with the enemy so he could stay with her for all I cared.

_If that were really true then why does it feel like someone shattered my heart to a million pieces and it was beyond repair. _

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	18. This Is My Perfect Nightmare

**Hi everyone, it's been a while, a longggggggggggg while. But I'm back! I know I left everyone hanging for a while and I sincerely apologize for that, I just have a lot going on right now. Nonetheless I have no intentions of giving up this story. I was just short for time to put my thoughts into words. I do want to thank everyone for all the reviews in my absence. It made me feel so loved to read all your comment and some P.M.s if I was going to continue with the story and how much it was missed. Without you faithful readers I would have no reason to write, so with that being said I hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter.**

**18 – This is My Perfect Nightmare**

**Dante's POV**

It never failed: one step forward two steps backward. Lulu was angry and there was a great chance that when I got back to the penthouse A she would be gone, B she would go passive aggressive and give me the silent treatment again or C which I dreaded the most, I would find her at home crying. I had seen Lulu happy, angry, excited end even sad but I had never seen her cry and did not want to because of anything I did. Being the source of her unhappiness was not a title I wanted to hold, and to be honest if I did find her crying because of anything I did there was a good chance she could get me to do almost anything if it meant getting back into her good graces. Lulu had managed to do what no woman I ever "dated" could, and that was keep me interested long enough to care. And not just care as in make sure she gets home ok, hold doors, and pull out chairs, but a whole new level of care. Care like always caving when wanted Jake's fries even though it was the unhealthiest thing on the planet, and driving all the way to the outskirts of town just to get those cupcakes she liked so much. Sitting through an evening with Tracy and the rest of the Quartermaines which was almost the equivalent of being tortured, and letting her think I liked her scrambled eggs when it was horrible. It was all in the name of keeping her happy.

I realized it must have hurt her feelings telling her I needed to talk to Brooke, but with the level of anger that was emanating from Lulu another fight would have been inevitable. Her anger at Brooke, at the situation, and at me were all justified on some level. All I could hope for was that when I went home she would at least listen to my reasons for asking her to leave.

I went back into Jakes where Maxie was staring Brook down, undoubtedly looking for a reason to get into another altercation with her. Brooke on the other hand seemed as calm as ever, smirking and silently taunting her new found enemy. I never remembered her being the type who liked to stir up trouble. Then again I had not seen her in a few years so a lot must have changed since.

"We need to talk." I told Brooke-Lynn, pulling her by the hand outside so that the rest of the patrons were not privy to any more of this town's scandalous tales. Once we were in the safety of open air and away from listening ears, I turned to her trying to be as calm as possible. "Brooke you are my oldest friend and you're practically family, so I'm going to assume everything you said and did in there was just because you were looking out for me. But let's get something straight, being my friend will never give you the right to humiliate or insult Lulu."

Brooke-Lynn folded her arms, obviously not pleased with what I was saying but that did not stop her from offering her opinion. "She's not good for you Dante, she's a liar and a manipulator. She hooked up with a psycho named Diego Alcazar who was in jail for stalking and terrorizing me and Maxie just so she could break up Dillon and Georgie. Consequences be damned! She didn't care who got hurt or the marriage she was ruining along the way, all she cared about was having Dillon to herself."

The way Brooke painted the picture, it really did sound bad; nothing like the woman who I cared so much about, but we all had a past and we all made mistakes in life. Who was I to be anyone's judge, jury and executioner especially considering my past lifestyle? "I know for a fact she regrets everything she did to them. We all make mistakes in life, no one's perfect. I of all people know that, just look who my father is." I defended Lulu.

"What about the abortion? Does she regret that too? Because she was in a big hurry to get rid of it once she found out she was pregnant. The Quartermaines wanted that baby; they practically begged her to keep it, so it wasn't like she was alone with nowhere to go or no help. But she went ahead and did it anyway. I know how you feel about abortion so who's to say she wouldn't do the same to your child?"

"She was a teenager Brooke! You can't expect me to hold something against her that not only happened years ago but doesn't affect my life." Brooke, for whatever reason, was hell bent on dredging up all of Lulu's secrets and indiscretions. Abortion went against my beliefs and if it were my child, me as well as the rest of my family probably would be as upset as the Quartermaines were, but at the end of the day it was Lulu's body and Lulu's choice. From what little she had told me about the situation with Dillon, even though the Quartermaines were financially stable, emotionally stable was another story. No amount of money in the world could remedy a child that felt like an afterthought or an outsider in their own family. I had seen that first hand the way Kristina felt alienated from my dad, and would not wish that on any child. "I'm sure she made the best choice she could at the time. Lulu isn't a teenager anymore and I'm not some guy she had an affair with so if she were to get pregnant again I don't think she would do the same thing." _Not that we would have that problem since we weren't even having sex, and after tonight that may never happen._

Brooke-Lynn threw her hands in the air out of frustration. "Oh my God how can you be so blind?" _This was the second time for the day I had heard that. Did I seem stupid of something?_ "Didn't you notice how quick Lulu was to run over and warn me to stay away from Johnny?"

Seeing Lulu intervene between Brooke and Johnny did unnerve me, more than I wanted to admit to myself, but I was not going to drive myself crazy over something that probably was not even true. "They're friends and I guess she is trying to look out for him. I warned you from Johnny at the wedding because you're my friend and I don't want to see you get hurt." I reasoned, but it sounded more like grasping at straws.

Brooke shook her head, just as determined as I was to prove what she thought to be true. "It's more than that. As soon as she saw me and Johnny together it was like I was playing with her favorite toy so she had to stake her claim."

I was not going to entertain this conversation any longer, mostly to keep my temper in check and not let my mind stray to places it had already gone. There was no solid proof that Lulu and Johnny were involved in any way other than friendship so I was going to believe my girlfriend when she said she and Johnny were just friends. "You're entitled to your opinion, but I am asking you as your friend, try to be civil to her because she's important to me." Brooke rolled her eyes and folded her arms again glaring at me. I knew that 'yeah right whatever look', but I was not joking. I did not want any trouble whatsoever between her and Lulu. "I'm serious Brooke-Lynn, this isn't like before. Lulu isn't some random woman I'm playing around with; she matters a lot so back off."

My words came out even more emphatic than planned but I did not regret saying them because it was the truth. Lulu did matter A LOT; more than any other woman whom I had ever been with. It was bad enough that we were treading on thin ice as it is, and tonight would surely make it worse. Hopefully Lulu had not already disappeared on me and shut me out like she was known to do. With all the mishaps we were facing in an already messy, barely-there relationship, I wondered if damage control was even possible at this point.

**Lulu's POV - Penthouse**

One thing I realized about myself was how easy it was for me to get caught up in a guy, then have my world go into temporary chaos when it ended. It happened with Dillon, Logan, Johnny and true to form now with Dante. Once I got into my car speeding away from the drama which ensued at Jakes, boiling anger was fueled with a sea of tears. First it was angry tears at Dante for taking that witch's side over mine, and angry tears at myself for letting myself get close to him even though everyone warned me he was his father's son. Then the angry tears faded to those of embarrassment. I was humiliated that Dante had to hear of my faults and indiscretions in such a public way. That part of my life was not a time I was proud of, and if I could take back being the catalyst that ended Dillon and Georgie's marriage, I would in a New York second. All I could think of was Brooke-Lynn's nails on a chalkboard voice spinning the story to make me sound like a conniving, vengeful, baby murderer that Dante would want no part of. Then she would all too willingly be the supportive friend ready and able to console him in and out of bed. I tried to sleep away the putrid thoughts, but my overactive imagination had gotten the best of me, so I went for a walk hoping the warm summer night breeze would blow away my pain.

After about half an hour of walking to nowhere in particular, I headed back to Harbor View Towers dreading the confines of a penthouse that reminded me too much of Dante. The elevator doors opened seemingly slower than usual, _or maybe my world was moving slower than usual_, and to my surprise and although I would not admit it relief, Dante was crouched down in front of the door with a knife trying to pick the lock. Since we went to Jakes together, expecting to return together, he had not taken his keys and thus found himself locked out. I truly did not expect to see Dante until morning, and it gave me a tinge of hope he had not slept with Brooke-Lynn. Even though we had not been officially a couple for long, I did not think I could stomach knowing he was with her.

Dante was too busy fighting with the lock to see or hear me. I stood for a moment very amused, watching him poke and prod the tip of the knife into the lock with no success. For a mobster's son you would think the least he could do was learn how to pick a lock. "Stupid, freakin' door. OPEN!" Dante shouted, as if him yelling at the door would magically make it open.

"The next time you lock yourself out call Jason because you suck at picking locks." I told him deciding to make my presence known.

Dante got to his feet quickly, just as surprised to see me as I was to see him earlier. "What are you doing out here? I saw your car outside so I thought you were here."

"Went for a walk." I pulled a hairpin from my hair and finessed it into the lock until I heard the unmistakable click of success.

When I opened the door Dante stared at me dumbfounded and somewhat proud. "Do I even want to know how you know how to do that?"

"Nope, it probably wouldn't live up to your Bensonhurst standards. Just another thing for you to hold against me." I grumbled tossing the keys on the table.

Dante sighed at my comment and I knew the confrontation was coming, but honestly I was not in the mood to hear him tell we what a mistake I made and how his mother raised him when she was even younger than me. When I was 18 I put up with so many judgments and hostility worth a lifetime, so I was not about to sit here years later to put up with another round. As much as I cared about Dante and wished we could work, I knew how strongly he felt about abortion. It was one of the things he was totally against and I could not bear to have him judge me and think of me as "a baby killer" as my brother had so eloquently put it years ago.

Hoping to find solitude for the rest of the night in much needed sleep, I trudged up the stairs emotionally exhausted. "I only went to talk to Brooke. What she did today was wrong and I told her to back off because you're important to me." Dante spoke, making me stop mid step. _I was important to him. He said that right? I wasn't hearing things?_ Fearing that my mind was making me hear what I wanted to I continued up the steps until he spoke again. "I understand that you were young and scared, and you made the best decision you could at the time, given the circumstances. If you're ok with the choice you made that's all that matters to me."

Now I was frozen in place, unable to move even if I wanted to, tears streaming down my face. _Damn him for making me cry. _He was saying all the right words, everything I wished he would have said at Jakes before he sent me home and ran off to Brooke-Lynn. But did he mean it or was I being played for a fool by the notorious Corinthos charm? Because no matter what was on his birth certificate and how much his mother, or me for that matter, tried to convince herself otherwise, Dante Falconari was a Corinthos through and through from his dimpled smile to the undeniable charisma. The same charisma that was holding me immobile on the stairs, unable to flee like I had originally planned. _ Keep moving Lulu. One foot in front the other, it's not that hard. _ I told myself. If I listened to any more of this I was going to cave to his every word and give into everything my heart wanted.

**STEP… STEP… STEP.**

_Move damn it!_ My head screamed at me once again before Dante could catch up with me, but the heart wanted what it wanted and it seemed determined to win this battle.

**STEP… STEP… STEP.**

I felt him. Dante had not touched me in anyway but I could feel his spirit, his devastatingly infectious aura invading my space and pulling me into his orbit. He was close, on the step directly below me, but still not touching me, yet just his presence had the ability to infiltrate the barriers that had been up for so long. "Don't let anyone make you feel like you made a bad decision because it's not my place or their place to judge you. The only thing I can tell you for certain is having an abortion doesn't change how I feel about you, and it doesn't shortchange the beautiful, strong, courageous woman that you've become."

His voice was gentle, and reassuring- a comfort more than just plain sympathy – and I could not bear to face him because if I looked into his eyes - those brown, beautiful, adoring eyes - and saw that he was sincere, it just might crack what I assumed was a secure fortress built to defend my fragile heart. Then his hand rested on my right hip, just as gentle and reassuring as his voice, and he tried to turn me toward him but I would not move. Not out of shame, but out of realization. Realization that I could want him today, tomorrow and forever, realization that someday I could love him and want this marriage to be real, and an even harsher realization that I could be setting up myself again for the worst type of hurt.

"Come on beautiful, talk to me." He tried once again to turn me around, but I had not budged. Instead of pushing further, Dante stepped around me so that he was now a step above facing me. One look at my miserable expression and his mouth descended to a frown; not that I blamed him. I must have looked a mess with tears streaming down my face, and red puffy eyes. "Lulu I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry or hurt you. If you're still mad at me about staying at Jakes, I only did it to talk Brooke down and get you away from the situation. I wasn't taking her side of anything." He apologized continuously.

He thought I was still mad at him, when all I wanted was to bury myself in his arms. "I wasn't fit to be a mother." I finally spoke and he seemed relieved that I was still functioning like a normal person.

Dante shook his head, holding both my hands securely in his, almost as if he were afraid to let go. _I was kind of afraid he would let go too._ "You don't owe me an explanation."

I knew I did not have to justify myself. I was initially adamant about not explaining anything to him, but that was when I expected hostility and condescendence. Now I was being given compassion and support, so I wanted him to understand from my point of view. I was pretty sure Brooke-Lynn had made me sound like a heartless, narcissistic monster, so I needed him to know that I was not that person, not anymore.

"I didn't have the most stable family at the time. My dad was hardly ever around when I was growing up and when I found out I was pregnant he was married to Tracy who I hated at the time. Lucky was addicted to pills, Nikolas had his own kid to worry about, and my mom, the one person I needed the most, was catatonic in a mental hospital. Dillon hated me. The Quartermaines wanted the baby but they are dysfunctional at best, and I don't think I could carry a child for nine months then hand him or her over to someone else to raise. I know it sounds like I'm making excuses but I really didn't know what else to do, so I chose to end my pregnancy. I honestly wasn't being selfish. It was the exact opposite; I was trying to do the right thing."

When I had shared my story Dante simply kissed my forehead. A quick, soft kiss that was just as meaningful and genuine as any of the other more passionate kisses we had shared. How could he always do that? Make the minutest gestures have the largest effect. "You can stop trying to convince me that you aren't selfish because I figured that out a long time ago. A selfish woman wouldn't have been worried about getting too close to my family then having to hurt them by getting a divorce later. A selfish woman wouldn't get married in a church just because it would mean a lot to people she didn't know. A selfish woman wouldn't be hovering and always trying to take care of me, even though she didn't have to. You're a good person Lulu; don't let anyone make you think otherwise."

His arms wrapped around me in an affectionate embrace, and unable to help myself I melted into him as if this were the way we were meant to be. We fit. I could not understand it or even try to explain it to myself or anyone that asked, but on some inexplicable level, at least in this time and this moment the playboy and the jaded girl fit. Another one of life's twisted jokes I guessed.

Finally, I let Dante go. It felt so good that he knew about a part of me that I had tried to hide, and even better that he was being supportive. At some point I would have to tell him about Logan and losing my mind temporarily, but one shocking secret was enough for the night. Someday soon I would tell him the rest.

"Are you ok?" He asked still holding my hands and visibly concerned. I nodded, giving him a small smile, hoping to reassure him. And then he asked the unexpected. "Are _we_ ok?"

My smile brightened at the word 'we'. "We're fine." I assured, hoping that my tone did not fully convey how absolutely giddy I was on the inside. It felt so childish getting excited that my "crush" was actually reciprocating the feelings. _God how pathetic am I?_

He wiped away the last bit of tears streaking my cheeks. "Good, that saves me the trouble of trying to grovel with flowers and cupcakes."

"Hold on now! On second thought I think I'm kind of still mad. Flowers would be nice, but I might need lots and lots of cupcakes to get over this. And chocolate chip pancakes in the morning. Or maybe cinnamon french toast with lots of butter and syrup and powdered sugar." I continued to list all the sweet treats I planned to indulge in as we walked hand in hand down the hallway to his room. I liked that we were back to our carefree, natural banter. It made things feel as if we were getting back to normal – well normal for me and Dante.

"And the phone nearby so I can call 911 quick when you go into a diabetic coma." I hit him playfully on the shoulder and he spun me around, pinning my back to his bedroom door. Barely inches apart, he closed the small gap between us pressing his lips to mine greedily. Instant heat radiated though me from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes, and intensified as his tongue easily slipped between my lips. I sighed comfortably, enjoying the taste of him more than any other confection I could ever buy. The gentle kisses were nice but it was the fervent ones that made your knees go weak and your head spin, that were truly the most memorable and enjoyable.

Dante's lips strayed from mine, settling in the contour of my neck showering me with kisses. The undercurrent between us was raging like a tidal wave hell bent on taking over everything it its path. I could feel him taking over my body, lulling me into effortless acquiescence without even getting beneath my clothes. My fingers threaded through his hair, fisting the shaggy dark strands willfully, while my body curved into his with abandon. If I did not know better I would swear I was high because this feeling could not be normal. It was just too intoxicating to be any sort of natural feeling.

"Whatever you want, whatever I can do to make you happy, it's yours." He told me in a breathless whisper, nibbling on the spot beneath my ear. _Oh that felt like heaven._

Reaching behind of me I turned the knob opening the door, and pulled Dante inwards by the collar. "I can think of a few things that would make me extremely happy." I hinted suggestively with a wry smile. He had no idea just how happy we both were going to be tonight.

**KNOCK KNOCK**

We both froze hoping it was just our imaginations instead of the universe throwing yet another wrench in our plans. Hadn't we had enough unwanted visitors for the day.

"Maybe they'll go away." I hoped, and prayed. Besides, who was that inconsiderate to show up at someone's door this time of night? Brooke-Lynn could not have been that delusional after Dante had told her to back off. Then again from what I experienced at The O with Nicole and her Lisa Frank friend, you could never be too certain with this crazy generation of Bensonhurst women. Plus Brooke-Lynn was all manners of evil.

**KNOCK KNOCK**

"Dante, I need to talk to you." A woman called, knocking endlessly at the door.

No… It couldn't be. Not again, not now. Even though I already knew the answer I stupidly asked anyways. "Is that…"

"My mother." Dante finished for me with an exasperated groan.

_Crap! Crap! Crap!_ _That bitch must have ran to Olivia and told her about my abortion._ Although Dante was fine with it, Olivia was a whole other story. She had Dante at 16 and virtually raised him as single mother. How was I supposed to explain that at 18 I thought I could not raise a child, to the walking proof that it could be done with great results. Just when I thought the night was looking up, it was turning into a complete nightmare. When this night was over Brooke-Lynn had better leave town or pray that I find God before I see her because I was going to ring her trashy, skanky little neck and toss her in the harbor with weights on her feet for the drama she was causing me.

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**Have a great weekend everyone and lots of lante love till next time.**


	19. What Goes Around Comes Around

**Happy New Year Everyone! You hope you all had a safe and happy holiday season. It's been a while, I know, but life has finally calmed down for me so I decided to get back on track with this story. Thank you to everyone who kept up with the story and sent me reviews and added to their story alerts and fave stories. I would especially like to shout out Nytina2, I appreciate the love you have for this story and its persistent readers like you who keep me motivated to write. I have no intention of giving up on this story; it may take me a while but I will finish it. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it to the max.**

**19 – What Goes Around Comes Around**

**Dante's POV **

My family, especially my mother, had the absolute worst timing ever. Only a Falconari or a Corinthos would show up at your door in the middle of the night, without calling first and without a plausible reason. For the most part I had gotten used to it, but at moments like these I really wished I had a family who had more respect for boundaries. I kissed Lulu on the forehead quickly, "Don't move, I'll get rid of her." Then reluctantly went to take care of the interruption.

Not quite sure of what I was going to be faced with this time, I took a deep breath before opening the door to the whirlwind who was my mother. "You know Ma I'm not a baby. You don't have to stroll into town to check up on me."

She kissed me on the cheek then patted it maternally and walked right past me before I had the opportunity to invite her in. "No hi Ma, nice to see you?"

"Hi Ma, nice to see you." I greeted with a smile plastered on my face hoping this would be an extremely quick visit; but from the way she was walking around taking in everything as if this were a leisurely stroll, this visit would be anything but quick.

"Much better. And I wasn't checking up on you, I actually came to give you some news. I know it's late but I was so excited I wanted you to be the first to know." As she spoke she began doing what she always did when she came to my apartment in Brooklyn: rearranging things and trying to clean. I was always grateful for everything she did for me, but tonight was the wrong night. "What happened to your head?" She asked finally taking notice to the bruise on my head.

"Just a minor accident. What good news?" I asked shifting the conversation before she could ask too many questions and worry.

Footsteps coming down the stairs briefly interrupted the conversation. Great, now Lulu was downstairs which meant the night was going to hell fast. "Hi Olivia, nice to see you again." She greeted my mom with a smile.

"Hi Lulu." Considering how skeptical she was of my marriage, I was surprised when she gave Lulu a hug as if she had known her for years. Lulu was just as surprised yet returned the gesture. Now I knew something was up; my mom was way too happy. "I'm glad you're here, now I can tell you both that I'm moving to Port Charles."

"What? Why?" I practically yelled as my throat went dry.

Lulu elbowed me in the side for the outburst. I knew my reaction was less than tactful or polite but this was a complete shock. My mother leaving Bensonhurst was not something I had ever considered. One of the benefits of moving to Port Charles was that I was away from her prying eyes, especially since this marriage was not "real" and my mother had been blatantly suspicious from the beginning. Now with her here, undoubtedly she would consistently make it her business to find out what was going on in my life.

Rubbing my side from the needling jab, I chuckled nervously at one of the most important women in my life and the one who was slowly becoming just as important. "I just mean all our family is back in Bensonhurst. What about Nona and running the garage? You know they can't run that place right without you."

"They'll be fine, I hired my replacement and she's gonna do great. Carly and Jax were so impressed with how fast I got things done for the wedding they decided to hire me as an Operations Manager at the Metro Court."

_Damn Carly and Jax for not minding their own business._

"Congratulations." Lulu told her enthusiastically, but if she realized what my mom moving to Port Charles really meant, I doubted she would not be that enthusiastic.

Every time I swallowed it felt like grains of sand sliding down my throat. There was a decanter filled with water on the credenza against the wall, but I was going to need something a lot stronger than water to come to terms with my mother moving to Port Charles. I could already see how this was going to turn out: she would drop in whenever it suited her without the courtesy of calling first, interrogate Lulu like she committed a federal crime, and worst of all keep tabs on me and what I was up to. As much as I loved and appreciated my mother for raising me at such a young age, she could be extremely overbearing and infuriating.

"Thank you. I'm glad someone's happy for me." My mom remarked with a sarcastic tone and deathly glare in my direction.

Tinges of guilt invaded my sour disposition because I truly wanted my mother to have all the happiness in the world. God knows she deserved it; I only wished she could find her happiness in another town. "I'm happy for you Ma, you just took me by surprise that's all. I never expected you to move to Port Charles. You love Bensonhurst."

"It will always be home but that doesn't mean I'm gonna let it get in the way of realizing a good opportunity. Besides, being here will give me the chance to get to know my new daughter in law better since you didn't have the decency I know I raised you with to introduce her to the family before you announced you were getting married."

_Now I really needed a drink._ "Ma not this again." I said with a groan, searching the cabinet below the credenza looking for anything stronger than wine. She had not even been in town a full night and already the intrusion had begun.

"Yes this again because you knew better. No offence to you Lulu, from the little I know about you, you seem like a perfectly nice girl but I would like to get to know you better. Once I get moved into my new place I would love to have you over for dinner." She told my wife.

Lulu, despite seeming a little uncomfortable with the encounter, took the situation in good stride and smiled warmly. "Sure that sounds good."

If I could help it there was no way I was going to leave the two of them alone through an entire dinner. My mother would grill Lulu until she could get every detail about our lives from her.

"Great. I'll give you a call soon." She hugged me, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Bye honey, bye Lulu." Then finally left.

When the door closed, I collapsed on the couch hoping and praying my mother would hate it here and this would turn into a temporary thing. Ever since my father had built his empire in Port Charles, all of Bensonhurst had considered the small upstate New York town as the Mecca of corruption and crime. No matter how much my mother made sure I was raised with deeply embedded morals, and present at almost every Sunday mass, most of Bensonhurst simply saw me as a replica of my father destined to inherit his blood stained kingdom.

Even though I was not ordering hits on anyone, some of the things I did were not exactly legal, and marrying for an inheritance was not exactly moral. If my mother and grandmother ever found out what I was doing they would be very disappointed in me, and I hated disappointing the two women who raised me to be a better man than this. But underneath all the deception, maybe something good would come of this and the woman who I married to get an inheritance would turn me into the man who could make her and my family proud.

**Lulu's POV- July 25th**

Dante was still very wound up about his mother moving to Port Charles, so needless to say we still were not having sex. He had been solely focused on making sure his mother did not find out about our secret. On a positive note we had not had any arguments since the Brooke-Lynn debacle, so hopefully that would be the last we saw or heard from her for a very longtime.

Holding two lattes and muffins, I walked into Crimson to greet a frazzled Maxie balancing the phone against ear while typing furiously on the keyboard. I set a latte and muffin on her desk, alerting her to my presence, and she immediately hung up the phone. "Don't you dare sit down! Where have you been? I've been calling you all morning. There's no point in having a phone if you're not going to answer it."

"Ooookkkk….decaf for you." I told my overly dramatic friend as I placed my latte and bag on my desk.

Maxie always had the tendency to make things seem worse than they actually were, but that was a side effect of working for a woman who considered everything an emergency and needed everything done yesterday.

"I told you not to sit down." She ordered pushing my chair away before I could sit. "I got a call from Kate and she is on the warpath. Apparently Federico decided he wants to go in a more edgy direction for his spread in our fall issue shoot so you have to head to the city to find a new location, or you know the drill, Kate will fire us both. I would go with you but I need to hold down the fort here. "

"Now! That's impossible!" I screeched at the incredulous request. The shoot was scheduled to be done in two days. How was I supposed to find a location suitable to Federico's standards, plus get the permits necessary for the shoot, all in one day? Kate really was a witch for expecting us to pull off something like this. Sometimes I think she made us attempt the impossible just to see us squirm at the possibility of being fired.

"Well you'd better make it possible because our jobs depend on it. I've already emailed you the info and I convinced Johnny to let you use his jet so get to the airport ASAP."

Reluctantly, I picked up my bag and proceeded to the elevator feeling like I was going on a suicide mission. Under any other circumstance I would welcome a trip to the city, but having to deal with a temperamental designer and pushy building owners was not the way I envisioned starting my day. The only good thing about this trip was I got to take a private jet instead of driving or the train.

**Port Charles International**

As instructed by my bossy best friend I drove to the airport looking for some sort of direction of where I was supposed to go. After all it was not every day I took a private jet. Just I was about to ask a ticketing attendant to point me in the right direction, I saw Johnny sitting on one of those uncomfortable, not to mention abysmally colored, airport benches. "Hey. I didn't know you were going to be here too." I said, truly surprised to see him since I had assumed it would just be me.

"Yeah I have some business to take care of in the city. Ready to go?"

I nodded reluctantly but needed to get this futile trip over with. We walked a fairly short distance to the only departure area that was not crowded, and easily went through the door that was blocked by a burly guard. _Wow no one practically molesting me for weapons and no taking off my shoes. I could get used to flying private. _Instead of walking through a gate that would connect us directly to the plane, the doors led outside and we walked to the jet waiting on the runway. Johnny let me go up the steep steps first into the jet, and I could finally somewhat understand why he had such a hard time giving up the Zacchara power and fortune while we were together. By no means did I think money could buy happiness, but it could certainly make life extremely more comfortable. I sat in one of the soft beige leather seats and thought it was a shame this would be such a short flight. "Well this sure beats rush hour traffic."

Johnny chucked at my comment and sat next to me. "No problem. Whatever Maxie wants, Maxie gets, and I also don't mind helping you out in the process."

I smiled appreciatively at his graciousness. We had come a long way in the past three years, and as messy as our breakup was it was nice that we had finally made it to friendship.

The captain announced we were about to take off, so we strapped ourselves in preparing for departure. "Speaking of Maxie, things seem to be going well with the two of you." I mentioned, striking up a conversation to pass the time.

A genuinely happy smile crossed Johnny's face; a smile I had not seen in years. "It's great! Maxie and I are surprisingly good for each other. It's like our self destructive natures cancel out each other if that makes sense." I could not help but admire the effect she seemed to have on him. Whenever he and Maxie were together or he spoke about her, a twinkle of excitement flashed in eyes and contentment resonated from him. They had a complexly simple relationship that allowed each other to be themselves without worry of disappointment, rejection or judgment; something they both desperately needed. I had never met two people who were more perfect for each other than Johnny and Maxie.

"Good to hear. Just don't hurt her or you'll have me to deal with. And stay away from Brooke-Lynn, she just wants to cause trouble." I warned seething at even saying her name. That girl was like a tornado – doing nothing but damage wherever she went.

"What's the deal with you two anyway?" He asked curiously, picking up on my evident disdain.

"I have what she wants, but can't seem to get her hooks into." That tramp was on a mission to get under mine and Maxie's skin, especially mine. Not to mention she wanted to get her hooks into Dante and was apparently willing to play dirty to get him. It worried me that I had not seen or heard from her since the encounter at Jakes. Although Dante said he told her to back off, I did not trust her in the least. Brooke-Lynn lying low just meant she was coming up with a new and more sinister plan to get Dante. He claimed to have no interest in her but she and Dante knew each other inside out and had history, something I could not compete with.

***{ }*{}*{}*{}*{}*{}*{}***

When we arrived at JFK the word crowded did not do justice to describe hustle and bustle we encountered. I should have expected that since it was one of the busiest airports in the country - hell the world – but this was just ridiculous. Everyone seemed to be in a constant hurry either to catch a flight or get through customs. I lost count the number of times I had to say 'excuse me' and 'I'm sorry' just to walk a few feet. It made me appreciate my slower paced town of Port Charles a bit more.

Somewhere in the crowd trying to exit I had lost Johnny, but I did not dare stop moving with the flow of people out of fear of getting trampled. _Having all these people here has to be some kind of fire violation. _Suddenly I felt someone grab my hand pulling me in the opposite direction. Being a Spencer my first instinct was to put up a fight, but Johnny's voice made me lower my defenses. "Follow me."

With him as the guide, we managed to maneuver through the mob until we were through the exit and in the bright summer sun. I had never been so glad to feel sunshine in my life. There was a black SUV waiting and we quickly hopped in, grateful to be out of the confusion. "And I thought taking a flight would be less trouble than driving or the train."

"Yeah JFK can get crazy sometimes." He handed me a bottle of water. "So I can drop you off wherever you need to be and when you're done call me and I'll have a driver pick you up and bring you to the airport."

"Johnny you don't have to do that, getting me here was enough. Finding a new location is probably going to take me the entire day, so I can find my way home." I told him. While the offer was tempting and much appreciated, I did not want to overstep the boundaries of this unchartered territory of friendship. If he were just my best friend's boyfriend it would have been easier, but considering we were exes and how we ended, I did not want to push it.

He shook his head, refusing to take no for an answer. "We left together, we go back together. Plus Maxie would kill me if I left you stranded."

This location thing would likely wear me out and after a tiresome day of treading the city, the last thing I would want was to get on a train back to Port Charles. Deciding not to kick a gift horse in the mouth, I simply smiled thankfully and conceded to the offer. This friendship thing might turn into a good thing after all.

**Crimson – Maxie's POV**

I filtered through the Crimson email account, sending anything which needed to be addressed to my personal account and deleting the junk mail. Lulu had not checked in yet, so I was taking that as a sign things were going well. Either that or she was so overwhelmed she did not have time to call. While scanning the inbox I noticed an email with the subject: Johnny's NYC Fling. The sender came up as Concerned Friend, so I automatically assumed it was some kind of virus. Spinelli had told me about random virus' that appeared to be legitimate emails but were in fact malicious PC infections. It was safer to just delete it. Kate would kill me if I crashed the system.

I checked the box next to the email and was about to click the delete button, but curiosity stopped me. _How would the sender of this alleged virus know that Johnny was in the city? Who was this Concerned Friend? What if it were one of his enemies trying to get to him through her? _She should open it so that at least Spinelli could track its origin if it were in fact one of Johnny's enemies. Convincing myself that opening it was for the greater good, I let inquisitiveness win and clicked on the email. As it opened, my computer was thankfully still functioning correctly so at least it was not a virus.

Two pictures loaded within the message, the first of Johnny and Lulu exiting some building hand in hand, and the second of them getting into a black SUV together. Below the pictures read, "Cute couple aren't they "

Staring at my boyfriend and best friend for what seemed like ages, a sense of déjà vu overcame me as I remembered mine and Johnny's attraction to each other had began in a similar fashion. The nights we had spent making club appearances as Crimson's 'IT' couple, only fueled our undeniable chemistry. The only problem was that chemistry would end up hurting someone we cared about._ Was it a mistake to send them to the city together? Was this karma's way of repaying my selfishness? _

"Maxie get in here!" Kate bellowed bringing me backing to reality. I immediately shook the absurd thoughts from my head, gathering the cover options for our next issue Kate wanted half an hour ago and brought them to her.

There was no way would Lulu ever do that. The Johnny and Lulu ship had sailed and sunk worse than the Titanic; there was no way either of them would dream of ever getting back together. Even if they did they would not sneak around to do it. This was the work of some jealous nobody who wanted to ruin my day, and I refused to give them the satisfaction of giving this likely photoshopped picture a second thought.

**Dante's POV**

It seemed that Lulu had gone MIA today. I had been calling her hoping we could have lunch together, but there was no answer from either her cell or work phone. Cousin Connie probably had her so buried in work she had no time to deal with the rest of the world, so I decided to bring lunch to her. I stepped off Crimson's elevator to an empty office. Usually at least one of the two blondes was at their desks, but it was uncharacteristically vacant. Thinking she would be back soon, I took a seat to await her return.

Shifting haphazardly in the chair, out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of Lulu's face on Maxie's computer screen, and moved closer to get a better look. Nothing could prepare me for the visual I got: Johnny and Lulu hand in hand on their way to God knows where; the time stamp on the email only a few hours ago. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. _Now you know why you can't find her._ That annoying voice in my head reminded me. Before, it was all coincidental speculation with Lulu never really confirming or denying what the deal was with them, but now I had tangible proof something was going on between her and Johnny. I scrolled further down and there was another picture of them getting into an SUV, probably to some hotel room to carry on their secret affair.

I could not understand how she could lie so blatantly. Admittedly, Lulu and I started off under unconventional circumstances and we were still getting to know each other, but as far as I knew we were both content with the progression of our relationship. She had never shown any signs of not wanting to be with me; after all it was not like I was holding her hostage. This was nothing like the woman I met. _Then again what do you really know about her?_ I decided to send the email to myself just in case Lulu tried to deny her transgressions, then I would have proof when I confronted her.

Eating was the last thing on my mind, so I left the bag with the food on her desk before leaving the office. If Lulu wanted to start playing games, fine, we would play for now, but I was going to be the one to finish this and I had no intention of coming out the loser.

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**This is the official start of the drama that will brew among Dante, Lulu, Johnny and Maxie and trust me when I tell you this is the tip of the iceberg because I loveee writing drama. Enjoy the ride**

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	20. Love Always Feels Like A Battlefield

**Thank to everyone who is still reading this story and submitted reviews. I really appreciate the support :) This Chapter is short but it serves the purpose of conveying Dante's anger about this brewing mess. Enjoy!  
**

**20 – Love Always Feels Like A Battlefield**

**Dante's POV**

_I HATE HER_! No I don't, I'm angry and lying to myself because she is that important to me. I had been sitting in front the laptop screen for about an hour staring at the pictures of Johnny and Lulu. It was not healthy to dwell on something I had no control of and could not change, but seeing evidence of what I had suspected since that night I saw them together in Jakes was driving me crazy. The last thing I wanted was to be right, but I guess it was better to know than to live a lie. How crazy was this? The one woman who actually mattered enough to make me stop and envision a future was the most deceitful of them all. Karma really was bitch.

When I had gotten tired of wallowing and staring at pictures that were not going to magically change, the Corinthos in me who did not take betrayal well decided to follow the instinct to retaliate. If Lulu wanted to be two faced then I was going to pay her back for it times ten. The first thing I needed was knowledge because that would give me the most power. I called one of our tech guys to dig up as much information on Lulu as possible. Ideally Spinelli would have been my first choice but he and Lulu were friends, and I could not risk him telling her that I was looking into her background.

The next call I made was one I knew would make Lulu combust. "Hey Brooke, can you meet me at Jakes. I need you."

"I'll be there as soon as I can." She agreed before hanging up.

I smiled gladly, thinking of Lulu's reaction when she got a firsthand view of how all this would play out. If there was one thing I could count on was Brooke's willingness to always help me, even if it meant getting into a bit of trouble. Sticking it to Lulu would simply be the icing on the cake.

**Penthouse (About 9 P.M.)- Lulu's POV**

There were two things on my mind and the moment: bed and Dante. As predicted, finding a new location plus acquiring all the permits necessary for the shoot took all day, leaving me exhausted. During the hectic day I managed to do a little personal shopping Dante was sure to love, but that would have to wait until tomorrow. Tonight all I wanted was get clean and fall asleep in Dante's arms.

I walked through the door meeting complete darkness, and quickly flipped a light switch so I would not bump into anything. "Dante." I called climbing the stairs, but just like downstairs it was dark and quiet with Dante nowhere to be found. _He's usually here by now. _I thought finding his absence strange. Oh well, that would give me more time to scrub away the remnants of today, and be refreshed by the time he returned; which would hopefully be soon.

As much as I would have liked to lounge in the tub I was just too exhausted to wait for the tub to fill, so I opted for a warm shower instead. After the shower, I pulled on one of Dante's T shirts and got into his bed to wait for him.

**Next Morning – Dante's POV**

Physically my body was sleep deprived but all the torrid images of Johnny and Lulu my mind had managed to conjure every time I dozed off kept me from ever wanting to shut my eyes again. Instead of coming back to the penthouse last night I had opted to be anywhere but where I could run into Lulu. I was pretty sure if I had seen her I would have exploded in anger, so for both our sakes I kept my distance. If it were not for the fact I needed to shower and change I would have avoided Harbor View Towers all together, but hopefully I could slip in and out with minimal contact.

I pushed my bedroom door and all plans to avoid Lulu went to hell. She was peacefully asleep in one of my T Shirts, clutching the pillow and her bare legs haphazardly stretched out across the bed. _Great now my sheets are going to smell like her._ I made a mental note to change the sheets when I returned or I definitely would never sleep again. For a moment I got sidetracked staring at her almost angelic form and it was difficult to believe that someone with such an innocent face could be so conniving and dishonest. Shaking the thoughts away, I tiptoed into the room trying not to wake her for my own selfish reasons. As quietly as possible I grabbed some clothes, but as my horrible luck would have it the drawers made that stupid shuffling noise when you pushed them in.

The sheets rustled and a soft yawn emanated for the bed. _Damn it! Go back to sleep, go back to sleep, go back to sleep._ "Hey are you just getting in?" Lulu's sleep laden voice asked.

My hands gripped the edges of the dresser and I exhaled a breath hoping to expel some of the anger and keep my composure. _Stay calm Dante. _"Yeah." I answered evenly without turning to face her.

"Should I worry about you needing an alibi or have Diane on speed dial?"

My eyes rolled at the concerned routine. "Everything's fine." I responded through gritted teeth even though I wanted to ignore her. She really did deserve an oscar for playing the role of dutiful wife so well. If I did not know better I would have thought she actually cared.

The sounds of her getting out of the bed made me cringe. I really was not ready to face her. "I missed you last night." Her arms wrapped around me from behind and my body immediately went rigid from her touch. The thought of her with Johnny then coming back here to pretend like nothing happened sickened me to the core. How could she be so cold? As big of a womanizer I was accused of being, boldly cheating on someone I professed to care about was way out of my league. The worst part was she did it so effortlessly as if it were as natural as breathing. The devil had to be a woman.

Not sure how much more of this fake happy I could take; I unraveled her arms from around me so I could get away. "I have to get back to warehouse soon; I only came back to shower and change."

Her mouth descended to a frown, and for a moment I almost felt bad for being so abrupt, and for what was coming to her, but when I remembered the pictures my guilty feelings quickly dissipated. I wished she would get the hint and go back to her room. The less I had to deal with her the better. If it were not for the inheritance I would have said to hell with this and got the marriage annulled by this morning. It was still a mystery to me why my dad would want me with Lulu. She turned out to be everything he abhorred in life and in a woman: treacherous, backstabbing, and disloyal. If this was his idea of a twisted joke, the punch line sucked.

"Are you mad at me?" Lulu asked breaking the deafening and uncomfortable silence engulfing the room. "I know I went MIA yesterday and didn't get a chance to call you back until late, but I had to go into the city spur of the moment or Kate would have had kittens."

The logical part of me knew I should have left this alone until my anger subsided, but my father's genes overtook once again and I figured I could at least pick at her brain to see what other creative lies she would come up with. Or maybe I was just a glutton for punishment. "Did Maxie go with you?"

"No."

"So you were alone?"

She folded her arms glaring at me. I knew that look all too well, a tell tale sign that this conversation was going to go downhill fast. "I'm starting to feel like this is some kind of interrogation. If you have something to say just say it." Lulu instructed with an attitude. Normally this was the part where I would soften the approach but I did not care how angry she got because I was more than justified for being angrier.

"It's a simple question Lulu, were you alone or not?" I probed refusing to back down.

"For the most part yes I was alone, you happy now." She answered throwing her hands in the air.

Despite not thinking it were even possible, my heart stung even more than it had last night. I was hoping that Lulu would admit to everything. I wanted her; I wanted this, whatever this was, to work. If she had told the truth I could forgive, but lying to my face was something I refused to tolerate from anyone. Angrier than before, I pulled a folded up piece of paper from my back pocket and opened it out on the bed. "Well my eyes must be playing tricks on me."

Lulu looked at the paper surprised at the image of her and Johnny holding hands, as if she had not lived it. _She really has that doe eyed, deer caught in the headlights look down to a science. _There was not an ounce of regret or remorse on her face, just surprise progressing to anger. "How dare you spy on me!" She exploded.

Was she serious? How dare I?_ Lulu Spencer you are a piece of work! _"Don't even think about turning this around on me. If you wanted to be with Johnny all you had to do was be honest. You didn't have to lie to my face and make a fool out of me." All I could do was shake my head in disbelief because Lulu had more nerve than anyone I knew. Despite the fact she had been caught red handed, she was going to blame me for something when I was the victim. What I could not understand was why she would even bother to marry me? It could not be about the money; Johnny had lots of that. Was it just for the thrill? Did she get some kind of weird rush from juggling two guys at the same time?

"I didn't do anything wrong. Johnny had to go into the city as well so Maxie asked if I could tag along because it would be quicker. He dropped me off and I spent the day doing work for Crimson. Your goon took that picture out of context. The only thing between Johnny and I is friendship." She defended herself, but I was over the lies and half truths, and stopped listening a long time ago.

At this point we were heated and the gloves had come off rendering full contact. My pride had been wounded so I was throwing out all the ammunition I had gathered in hopes she would finally give it up and stop lying, "Johnny must be one hell of a friend for you to go on the run with him while he was a fugitive, then confess to killing your ex boyfriend in open court." I lashed out.

My revelation of her past only made matters worse as Lulu's face turned a deep shade of red that almost looked purple. I kind of expected her head to make a 360 degree turn like the little girl the exorcist. "So not only are you spying on me but you're digging up my past? How about you ask me what you want to know instead of having me followed and investigated like some insecure little boy."

Back and forth we kept trading words, each comeback becoming more personal than the next. I was pretty sure that at the end of this argument we were either going to hate each other or kill each other. Even if that picture was taken out of context, there had been too many coincidences between Johnny and Lulu: that night in Jakes, Kelly's, him defending her, the flowers, their interaction at the wedding; it was all too much not to mean something. Nonetheless At the back or my mind there was a nagging voice asking what if she was telling the truth. I had no idea who sent the pictures to Maxie, and I had never actually seen them do more than talk. Why would someone be taking pictures of Lulu and Johnny in the first place? There were so many unanswered questions, but a picture was worth a thousand words and Lulu looked guilty as sin.

"You've already made up your mind about me so believe what you want. I'm sure Brooke-Lynn will be glad to say I told you so."

_If she only knew._ "Don't bring Brooke into this. She had my best interest at heart which is more than I can say for you." I countered knowing that defending Brooke-Lynn was a sure way to get under Lulu's skin. Given my level of fury I was more than happy to use Brooke-Lynn to irritate her the way Johnny had irritated me. Yes it was childish but jealousy could drive the most confident of people to act in the most inconceivable ways.

A sarcastic laugh escaped her as she rolled her eyes. "Give me a break! The only person's interest she has at heart is hers. That skank has been throwing herself at you since she came to town, and from the smell of cheap perfume all over your shirt she hasn't stopped. "

"You would know all about throwing yourself at someone. Just be careful you don't get pregnant again, Johnny doesn't look like he's ready to be a father. Then again you have experience dealing with that too." _Crap!_ Lulu's eyes widened in disbelief, then watered as disappointment and hurt invaded them. "I didn't mean that, I'm sorry." I apologized knowing I had gone too far the moment the words left my mouth. I truly had not meant to go that far but the words came out before I had the chance to stop myself.

Lulu pushed past me. "Consider this marriage over!" And slammed the door.

I did not bother to go after her because if I were Lulu I would not even want to look at me. I took an integral part of her life that would likely stay with her forever, and used it against her just as everyone else had done at some point or another. I knew better, I was raised better than this, but the urge to cause her pain just as she had done to me drove me to sink lower than low. Using Brooke to hurt Lulu had proven to be a waste of time because I had done that all on my own. The uncanny thing was it did not feel as good as I thought it would.

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	21. We're Bleeding For Nothing

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**21 – We're Bleeding for Nothing**

**Maxie's Apartment - July 29****th**** - Lulu's POV**

My brothers, Tracy, Edward and even Carly warned me about getting involved with Dante. 'He's just like his father.' I could hear Tracy lecturing and practically begging me not to go through with the wedding. But being a typical Spencer I was stubborn and determined to do what I wanted; not to mention it was supposed to be a simple marriage of convenience: no love, no attachment and no feelings. Convenience had proven to be a great misconception when the flirtation and attraction quickly blossomed into some kind of relationship. When I finally let my guard down and everything seemed to be going right, it all blew apart; just like it had with every other guy I made the mistake of caring about. For some absurd reason I thought this relationship would last, but the joke was on me. It was one thing for Dante not to trust me and have me followed, but it downright disrespectful and mean to throw the abortion back in my face; especially when he was so understanding after finding out.

Refusing to spend another night under the same roof as Dante, I went back to my old apartment and had not left in two days. Maxie had been trying to pry whatever had happened out of me, but I was not ready to hear the 'I told you so's' yet.

It was day three of my seclusion and I imagined Kate was threatening to have me fired or had already done so since I had not shown up to work and missed the big photoshoot. Eventually I would show my face, but needed a few days to figure out how I was going to spin the story of Dante and I getting divorced without completely humiliating myself.

Before I could get too deep in thought, my bedroom door swung open letting streaks of light into the otherwise dim room. "That's it!" My best friend echoed walking across the room and pulling the curtains to reveal the start of another hot summer day. I groaned pulling the sheets over my head, not wanting to face the day. Darkness fit my mood and I wanted the room to stay that way. Maxie grabbed a hold of the sheets and pulled them from the bed with a vengeance. "I've been covering and making excuses for you for the past two days. I know Kate is a terror to work for 99 percent of the time, but you're actually good at your job – not as good as I am but good nonetheless – so whatever has you closeted in here either you tell me now or you're on your own with Kate."

"Do whatever you want." I replied, honestly not caring about the threats Kate made against me.

Maxie sat at the edge of my bed, a now serious expression shadowing her usual vibrant face. "Oh my God are you dying? You can tell me; whatever it is I can take it."

I kind of laughed a bit at her melodrama. "Dante and I got into a horrible fight."

She scoffed and waved me off."That's it? You guys fight like every week. I'm sure in a few days you'll be back to your teasing, flirting routine."

I did not blame her for ignoring the severity of the situation. The fights between Dante and I were just as passionate as the attraction, so it was difficult for us to actually stay mad at each other. Unfortunately this was different. There was seemingly no coming back from the dark place we had entered, and the sad thing was I had no idea how we got here. In the matter of a few hours Dante and I had gone from bliss to misery, for nothing.

"It was bad this time. Dante has pictures of me and Johnny in the city, now he's convinced that we're messing around. I tried to tell him it's not what it looks like but he wasn't hearing it. He's already made up his mind that I betrayed him and it got so bad he threw the abortion back in my face."

His words had been echoing in my mind ever since they were spoken. The abortion was something I would forever be sensitive about because very few people respected my decision not to continue the pregnancy. When Dante did not judge me it was a relief because I felt like he truly understood my reasons for the decision. Then to have him turn around and use everything I confessed about my feelings against me hurt to the core.

Maxie darted from the room, then returned seconds later to show me her phone. "Were these the picture he had?"

I scrolled through the few pictures and recognized the one Dante had confronted me with. "Yeah. Please tell me you're not in this with him. I have absolutely no interest in Johnny." I said firmly. It was bad enough that I had lost a man I was falling for, but I did not want to lose my best friend as well. Maxie and I had come such a long way from being sworn enemies. I did not want to revert to that.

"I know that. They were sent anonymously to Crimson's email that day you were in the city."

"I never knew Dante was such a spiteful bastard. It's bad enough that he was having me followed but to send the pictures to you is just ridiculous. It's like he's trying to ruin my life." I yelled, not believing this was how low he had sunk.

Everyone was right; Dante was just like Sonny in more ways than one. When they felt betrayed their first instinct was enact revenge on the person who hurt them, and at the moment I was his target. Even though he had hurt me I did not once consider telling everyone that this marriage was one of convenience, yet it was so easy for him to turn on me without a second thought.

Maxie rummaged through my closet and pulled out a black, grey and white mini dress I had bought a few weeks ago but had not got around to wearing. "If he is trying to ruin your life, sitting in here all creepy and morbid like a character from a Stephen King novel won't help. Get up, put this on and let him see that he can't get to you." She ordered before leaving me to my thoughts once again.

That was going to be difficult to achieve because Dante was getting to me, in the worst way. In the short period of time we had been bound together by marriage, my heart had somehow tangled with his and now it seemed impossible to break free. Maybe I needed to treat this like a band-aid: pull it off in an instant instead of slowly prolonging the pain. When I left Harbor View Towers I had taken whatever could fit in one duffel bag. Now, I needed to go back for the rest of my things but was not ready to face Dante out of fear of what I might do or say.

Reluctantly taking Maxie's advice to finally come back to the real world, I took my cell phone from the night stand and dialed Dante's number hoping it would go to voicemail.

"Hello."

_Why did I call him again? _It seemed like forever since I heard his voice_._ I'm not sure if I was expecting some sort of a change - maybe anger or hostility - but there wasn't. It was his normal voice, like this was just another conversation we had daily: same pitch, same timbre, same tone; and I missed it more than words could describe.

"Lulu."

_He said my name. How did he know it was me? Duh Lulu caller ID_. I was being ridiculous, having this weird mental conversation, willing myself to articulate the reason for calling. I shook my head hoping to clear up the daze I was in and finally began to use my words. "Sorry, hi. Are you at the penthouse?"

"No, why?"

"I wanted to get the rest of my things and I figured it would be easier if we didn't have to see each other." I told him honestly. It sounded cold when the words were said aloud, but it was a necessary evil. I needed more time to process and come to terms with the fact that our relationship had ended before it barely got started. Even so, it hurt walking away from the 3 months we had together just as badly as it would have if we spent 30 years together.

"Oh." He answered almost sounding disappointed. Either that or I was simply hearing what I wanted to hear. "Well I'll be gone all day."

"That's fine. Goodbye." I quickly hung up, then collapsed in the center of my bed wanting to spend more time in solitude. How is it that just the sound of his voice could have me in a tailspin; feeling so many different things I had lost count?

In my head, this conversation had gone so differently. Dante would apologize for not believing I was not sleeping with Johnny, tell me how bad he felt for the abortion comment and for not trusting me, and swear to spend the rest of our time together making up for the indiscretions. Then he would beg me to come home and after some hesitation on my part, I would eventually give in and we would have our version of happily ever after. Unfortunately that conversation would remain a fantasy because after several trials and failures, it was beginning to sink in that happily ever after was not in the cards for Dante and I.

**Dante's POV**

I pushed the phone back into my pocket and leaned against the park bench wishing that the beautiful day outside would match my mood. Ever since Lulu walked out we had not had any contact, and I could not blame her for being just as angry at me as I was at her. Regardless of how I felt, the abortion comment was uncalled for and had no place being used as a weapon against her. Several times I made an attempt to go to Crimson to apologize but made it as far as the outside of the building before I chickened out and retreated. It did not help that my mother worked at the Metro Court and I did not want to risk running into her.

When Lulu called a flicker of hope lit in me that maybe she had called to finally tell the truth about Johnny. If she did I would forgive her because I missed her more than I thought possible. The penthouse did not have the same warm homely feeling that it used to. I missed waking up to the smell of her shampoo that always seemed to linger on my pillow, the way she would devour a stack of chocolate chip pancakes drenched in syrup then lick her fingers contently when she done, that cute quick smile she would give when I caught her singing off key or dancing to music when she thought no one was around and just the simple comfort of knowing she was there. I had gotten used to her presence and now it was difficult to be without it.

"From the look on your face I would say that was Lulu." Brooke-Lynn guessed sitting next to me.

Brooke-Lynn had been good company since everything blew up. I was grateful to have her trying to keep me distracted, but it was not working very well. No matter what I did my thoughts would always come back to Lulu. "She wanted to make sure I wasn't at the house so she could get her stuff."

Brooke-Lynn scoffed unapologetic, making her disdain for my wife well known. "I can't believe she isn't even trying to make your marriage work. Talk about faithless and self absorbed."

"Brooke." I warned, exacerbated by the constant rivalry. "I don't want this to be harder than it needs to be, so I'll stay out of her way so she can move out in peace."

Even though I was still mad at Lulu, I did not like Brooke bad mouthing her. If they wanted to hate each other that was their right, but I was not going to fuel the fire by insulting Lulu behind her back to someone who hated her. Just like I would never bad mouth Brooke to Lulu.

"What about getting back at her for whatever she did?"

Guilt scoured the pit of my stomach thinking of what anger had driven me to do. At the time I felt justified in making her feel the way I did. I wanted to see that same look of hurt I had when she heard I had betrayed her, but now it made no sense. My words had cut just as deep as my actions could have. "Forget about that." _What Lulu did not know, could not hurt her_.

"If that's what you really want, then ok." She agreed, but did not appear pleased that I was being so docile about it all.

I never actually told Brooke why Lulu and I were splitting up; all she knew was that I was angry about something Lulu did. Even though she and I were close friends, knowing her and Lulu were bitter enemies made me reluctant to tell her the intimate details about what was happening between us. After all she was not exactly the most objective party when it came to Lulu.

Before this conversation took a turn for the worse I got up from the bench and decided it was time to move on from this topic. "I've got work to do, so I'll see you."

She simply nodded obviously irritated at the sudden change, but I reasoned it to her just being an over protective friend as always. Brooke-Lynn may have changed in some ways over the years, but one thing I could count on was that she was not malicious and would never intentionally do anything to make me unhappy.

**Harbor View Towers - Lulu's POV**

Maxie was in a good mood and felt sorry for me so she agreed to help me pack up my stuff. Leaving the penthouse did not really bother me since I never really considered it 'home'; it was Dante I had a problem leaving. Every one of Sonny's numerous relationships had come to an end in this penthouse which made me wonder if the place was cursed. I knew it was absurd to think that the universe or some unknown cosmic magic had anything to do with the demise of Dante and me, but I needed to hold on to some reason that would help me make sense of how we got here. After all being cosmically ill fated sounded a lot better than splitting up over petty jealousy and trust issues.

Tough love was Maxie's remedy for getting me over this breakup. According to her I was wasting my energy sulking over Dante when it could be better spent getting even. I did not want to turn this into a battle of who would cry uncle first. For now all I could hope for was to get out of this marriage as quickly as possible and get back to my normal life before Dante Falconari and that ridiculous will turned everything upside down.

"You know you're going to have to face him at some point." Maxie reminded me as we got off the elevator on the top floor.

If I had my way that day would never come and I could avoid him forever. "I know that but some point doesn't have to be today."

I unlocked then opened the door and halted mid step feeling like someone had punched me in the gut, or worse put a knife through my heart.

"Hi baby…"

_No! This could not be happening!_ Maxie and I froze in the doorways completely disgusted at the sight before us. My stomach literally turned several times seeing Brooke-Lynn lying on the couch – my couch – in her underwear.

She sat up and began to put her clothes on, making no attempt to hide the smile on her face that I had caught what was obviously meant for Dante. "Oops, I thought you were Dante." She apologized, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.

[i]_How could he?_ [/i] I could understand that Dante was hurt by what he assumed I had done, but his need for revenge sank deeper than I could have imagined. He knew that I was coming; he knew Brooke and I could not stand each other. To allow her in here knowing there was a chance we would run into each other was salt in an open wound. My imagination began to work overtime thinking of all the ways they must have defiled the penthouse and I had not even been gone a week. Had he done things with her that he did to me? Things that we had had planned to do but never got the chance? It was like Dante had easily replaced me without any lingering thought or feeling, and all I was left with were thoughts of what could have been.

"You cannot let her get away with this." Maxie muttered nudging me in the side, but I was still shell shocked and unable to find my voice. I could not understand how Dante could change so quickly: having me followed and being mean for spite were not like him. This had to be a dream or some alternate universe. "Desperation isn't a good look, not to mention how pathetic you are resorting to breaking and entering." Maxie spoke since I had gone dumb.

"Sorry to disappoint you but I have a key." Brooke proudly informed us taking the keys lying on the center table and dangling them in front of me. "Dante didn't want me to have to wait in the hall until he got home so he gave me a key."

I could feel my face redden, recognizing the Brooklyn Bridge key chain holding the keys together. Dante had spare keys to everything all over the place so I had gotten him the key chain to keep the spare keys all in one bunch and put them in a safe place. Now the keys were dangling from Brooke-Lynn's fingers taunting me with every jingle. "You need to leave." I told her finally, before all my overflowing anger and frustration caused me to do something that would get me arrested.

Brooke-Lynn folded her arms holding her ground. "Like I said Dante gave me a key, so he obviously wants me here." She repeated, acting like some keys were the Holy Grail and be all end all.

I took a step towards her not intimidated in the least and spoke firmly so she knew I was not in the mood to be messed with. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. "I don't care if he gave a diamond encrusted key to world." I held up my left hand flaunting my rings the same way she felt the need to flaunt the keys. "These rings mean Dante and I are still married, so this is still my house and I said get the hell out before I have you thrown out."

We glared at each other hatefully until she pushed past me angrily, and I could not resist smiling that I still had one up on her, even if it was just a marriage on paper.

"Divorcing you is the best decision Dante ever made." Brooke seethed. If her head could explode it probably would have being reminded that I was legally Dante's wife; a title she seemed to want so badly. But being the bitch that she was, Brooke had to get one last jab in so before going through the door she leaned into Maxie with a mock whisper. "And if I were you I'd watch your boyfriend. You never know when someone might steal him from you."

I rolled my eyes but Maxie made a lunge for Brooke so I grabbed her to prevent a physical fight from ensuing. "She isn't worth your time." I warned keeping a hold on my best friend until Brooke-Lynn disappeared behind the elevator doors. While I would have loved to use her head as a mop, it made no sense because it would not change anything. If Dante wanted to risk getting an STD that was his problem, as long as he kept his hooker out of my way.

Maxie struggled out of my hold, angrier than ever. Brooke-Lynn got under her skin more than anyone else at the moment and as much I could attest that Maxie had changed a lot in the past few years, she had not changed enough to let this slide without a fight. Her heart was wrapped up in Johnny and when someone threatened to take something that Maxie loved, it does not spur a good reaction. "She is not getting away with this."

"Maxie don't." I tried to stop her, but I knew my words fell on deaf ears as she left the building in a rage. This was not going to turn out well at all.

**Fake Restaurant/Office- Dante's POV**

I was deep in thought trying to figure out how we were going to outsmart the Truvios out of their shipping routes, when Maxie barged through the door nearly swinging it off its hinges. For a second I was worried after seeing her face colored a deep shade of red and her eyes glazed with anger like she was out to kill. "Put a leash and a muzzle on your dog before I do it for you." She screeched definitely as an order and not a request.

"What are you talking about?" I asked staring puzzled at her crazed demeanor.

"Brooke-Lynn!" She slammed the door shut and began yelling like a lunatic. It was kind of amusing to be honest - this petite blonde yelling at the top of her lungs, arms flailing furiously for no plausible reason. "She's like one of those annoying little Chihuahuas that won't shut up. Yap, yap, yap, yap yap, that's all she ever does. If you don't do something about her I will and trust me you're not gonna like what I have in store for her."

Maxie had a reputation for being a drama queen so I did not feel the need to dissect the cause of this witch hunt she was on for Brooke. "I know how much you dislike each other so try not to be offended if I don't take you seriously." I told her, then returned to the files in front of me. Their drama was their business and none of mine. I had enough things to deal with in my life.

She picked up some of the papers on the desk and threw them at me violently. "Wake up Dante, she's playing you and you're falling for it. To your face she acts all innocent like she's all about your best interest, then provokes me and Lulu every chance she gets; especially Lulu. When we got to your place earlier the skank was lying on the couch in her underwear."

My head snapped up at the accusation, not believing Brooke would do something like that. "You're insane."

"If you don't believe me ask Lulu. Brooke-Lynn was in there comfortable like she owned the place, practically bragging that you two were sleeping together. It's bad enough what you're putting Lulu through but letting Brooke-Lynn flaunt your hook up in her face is just cruel."

I respected the fact that Maxie was Lulu's best friend and she felt the need to take her side, but I was not going to let her make me out to look like the villain in the story when Lulu was just as guilty, if not more so than I was. "What I'm putting her through? I didn't want this. She was the one who ran off with Johnny and lied about it." Now I was angry and yelling, making the argument go from bad to worse.

"Lulu didn't run off with Johnny. I sent her with him on his jet because I thought it would be quicker. He dropped her off and she spent the day doing work for Crimson. You can call Federico he can verify Lulu was on Crimson business."

This was the same story Lulu had given, but that did not explain why there were pictures of them looking like a couple. I wanted to believe in Lulu. I would have given anything for some proof that she really did not betray me and this was all some big misunderstanding, but there were so many other incidences of her and Johnny looking too friendly that I would be a fool to ignore all the evidence pointing to a relationship. But _what if you were wrong all along? What if you accused her of something she didn't do?_ My conscience echoed.

I had to get to the bottom of this soon before things got to the point of no return, because if I was wrong I had no idea how I was going to get Lulu to forgive me after everything I said. "Since you seem to have an answer for everything, explain the pictures because I know you saw them."

A frustrated groan lingered in the room as if I had asked the dumbest question in the world. "Obviously taken out of context. Any person with a camera can take a picture at just the right moment and make it look scandalous when it was completely innocent. How do you think tabloids and gossip columns make their money? Tell your photographer, or whoever you hired to follow Lulu, nice try but she wasn't doing anything wrong."

Maxie had a point there. Pictures could be misconstrued, but things about this still made no sense. Where did these alleged fake pictures come from? Why did Maxie have them? Another thing that bothered me was this was the second time I had been accused of having Lulu followed. I trusted her so there was no reason for me to keep track of her comings and goings. They made it sound like I was some jealous, psycho boyfriend wanting to keep her locked in a tower all to myself. Admittedly I was jealous, and I did want her to myself but not in a crazy obsessed sort of way.

"I wasn't having Lulu followed. I came to Crimson looking for her but neither of you was at your desks. I saw the pictures on your computer screen and emailed them to myself so that I would have proof to confront her with if she denied it."

"The pictures were sent to Crimson's email from an address I didn't recognize, so when Lulu told me about them I figured they were from you." I shook my head in denial just as confused as Maxie was, and not liking how strange and complicated this was becoming. "So if Lulu and I had nothing to do with this, and you didn't send them, who would be following Johnny and Lulu around in…" Maxie stopped mid sentence and began to pace the office babbling incessantly to herself. If I did not know better I would have sworn the anger was making her lose her mind. "It was her. It must have been. She's been flirting with Johnny, dropping all these weird hints. She's the only one who had something to gain from this. It had to have been her. Crazy bitch."

"Who?" I snapped, wanting to be let in on the new theory.

"Brooke-Lynn! She sent the pictures."

I placed my head in my hands, feeling a migraine coming on. A few days ago I was happy, at peace, and content with my life. My biggest issue was dealing with my over protective and intrusive mother. Now I had an allegedly cheating wife, a suspected conniving best friend, and an angry wife's best fried all at each other's throats. I watched the picture on the desk of me and my siblings surrounding my father; his smile almost teasing me from the grave. This was his type of drama filled life, not mine, yet here I was living up to the part of the Corinthos legacy I hated. Even from the grave, Sonny Corinthos was making a mess of my life. _Thanks dad. Thank you so much._

**Comment, Comment, Comment good, bad or indifferent.**

**Have a wonderful week everyone :)  
**


	22. Rumor Has It

**This is a short chapter, but it's one of those bridges which gets me where I need to go for the next chapter to play out. Enjoy!**

**22 - Rumor Has It**

**Park - Dante's POV**

I had to do this on neutral ground and open space. A place where just in case I lost my temper there was no one around to see the blow up. From the moment Maxie opened her mouth with her crazy accusations, I had been having a mental debate on whether to believe one of my oldest friends or a woman who I had only known a few months and had duplicitous tendencies. Maxie was a character to put it tactfully. For the few months I had been around her she was selfish, outspoken bordering rude and obviously a handful, but I could not deny she was very perceptive and most important a good friend to Lulu. While I had no doubts that Maxie would lie if it served her purposes she seemed hell bent that Brooke- Lynn was behind the catalyst that broke up Lulu and I. Then there was Brooke-Lynn: my best friend since childhood and someone I thought I could trust with my life. She had never done anything to make me doubt her, so a part of me felt guilty for even entertaining the thought that she was the mastermind of this plot. _How the hell did I get here? _

Brooke-Lynn appeared from around an overgrown shrub, greeting me with a concerned gaze. "Hey, you sounded weird on the phone. What's up?"

The guilt was skyrocketing. It was just like her to worry about me, pick up on my different moods and try to make things better. What kind of friend was I to accuse her of a transgression that she probably did not commit? _But what if she did? _The forever skeptical voice in the deep recesses of my brain questioned. If Maxie's suspicions were right, and Lulu was telling the truth, then I would have lost out on the only woman who managed to constantly keep my attention, and make me care more than I intended to.

As much as it made me uneasy to ask, I had to find out the truth. "A lot of crazy stuff has happened the last few days, and you've been with me through it all. We've been friends since we were kids and I can't remember a time when you've ever done anything to intentionally hurt me. All you've ever wanted was for me to be happy so I need you to tell me the truth right now. My happiness depends on it."

Her face became even more distressed at the urgency and desperation in my voice. "Of course, what is it?"

"Maxie was emailed some pictures of Lulu that made it seem like she was cheating, do you know anything about that?"

"She cheated on you? I knew she couldn't be trusted. No wonder you were so upset." Brooke rambled angrily. This was why I never told her the reason Lulu and I were no longer together because I knew the result would be name calling and bad mouthing; something that I did not like Brooke doing.

Nevertheless we were getting sidetracked so I shifted the conversation back to the original question. "Brooke, the pictures, did you send them?" I inquired more impatient than the first time.

"Of course not!" She answered incredulously and noticeably insulted that I had even asked such a thing. "Lulu's probably trying to save her skin and say I had something to do with this instead of taking responsibility for her actions. This is just like her to blame everything on someone else."

Brooke's tirade against Lulu continued but I neither confirmed nor denied where the allegations came from because I did not want to perpetrate the problems between the three women. My only interest was finding out if Johnny and Lulu were indeed having a secret affair, or the trip was as innocent as Lulu claimed.

"Leave Lulu out of this, I just need to make sure I'm not putting a grenade to my life over some feud that you two have going on. I said some pretty horrible things to her because of those pictures, and if I find out that they were faked just to ruin our relationship we are going to have a problem."

She shook her head disapprovingly and disappointed. "This girl really has you so turned inside out you're not thinking straight. Dante take a step back and think about this logically for a minute. If I found evidence of Lulu cheating, why would I send it to Maxie, her best friend, and not you? Just so Maxie could lie for her and help hide the truth some more? That would defeat the purpose of exposing her wouldn't it?"

I shrugged awkwardly. "I guess." The argument made sense. Brooke-Lynn had no motive for sending the pictures to Maxie instead of me. In fact I stumbled across the pictures by mistake. As twisted as it sounded, I had been hoping that she was the one behind the pictures, and then at least I would have a reason to go back to Lulu without seeming weak and foolish. "One more question: were you at my place today in your underwear while Lulu was there?"

This time culpability highlighted her features as she confessed to that crime. "That I did do, but I can explain. I couldn't stand it that you were hurting so much because of Lulu so I wanted to get back at her for you. Show her that she couldn't hurt you anymore because you had already moved on. Now that I know what she did, I'm not sorry I did it but I am sorry if I caused you anymore pain. I hate it when you're unhappy."

The annoyed groan which left my mouth was unmistakable. That was one more strike that would keep this feud going because no doubt someone - likely Maxie- would be out to settle the score. But I could not deny that Brooke's action had come from a meaningful place. The method may have been flawed but the motive was well meaning. "Getting in Lulu's way, not to mention Maxie's is only going to make things worse. I know you meant well but stay away from them." I warned.

"Ok, no more meddling, I promise." She did the cross your heart hope to die gesture just like when we were kids, and that further reminded me of the depths of our friendship. I really was some friend to accuse her of wanting to ruin my happiness. "Now that we got that out of the way, do you want to go to Jakes and hang out?"

"There's something I need to handle tonight. Rain check?" I offered.

"Sure." Brooke gave me a hug before her departure. "And don't stay out too late Falconari, you need some beauty sleep. You look a mess." I smiled at the playful insult as she walked away, and imagined there was some truth to that. I felt psychologically exhausted.

Maxie had been wrong, or at least partially wrong, but my gut told me this situation was not as cut and dry as I initially thought. Either something was missing in the puzzle or someone was lying because there were too many unanswered questions. One way or another I was going to get to the bottom of this because having Lulu in my life depended on it.

**Waterfront - Lulu's POV**

Maxie had run off to confront Brooke-Lynn for the stunt she pulled at the penthouse and left me stranded with all my stuff. Thankfully Spinelli was leaving Jason's and gave me a ride back to the apartment to get my car since it seemed like Maxie was not going to show up any time soon. So far I had not got any calls that she had been arrested so I assumed no news was good news. After seeing Brook-Lynn sprawled out half naked on the couch - the same couch Dante and I had spent quite a few nights cuddled in - something in me shut off. I was still hurting and wishing things would have turned out differently, but seeing how easy it was for him to bring someone else into our personal space made a part of me stop caring. Why should I drive myself crazy when Dante clearly didn't give a damn? You would think after three strike outs in the relationship department my luck would have changed for the better with Dante. Being with him the past few months had felt so good and so right, then somehow it all exploded in the space of a few hours. Love had been illusive and tragic for us Spencers, so maybe it was fitting to have Dante and I end up this way.

I had planned to stop at Kelly's for a quick bite to eat, but from the looks of the sky I was better off going home and ordering in. What started out as a bright summer day was morphing into the beginnings of torrential downpours; a perfect night pizza, ice cream and movies in bed. Instantly my mind flashed to memories of Dante and me lounging in the living room, watching TV as he indulged me in my insatiable junk food addiction. He was never a fan of my inclination towards almost everything unhealthy, but I would meet him halfway by eating more fruits and vegetables, and drinking lots of water. Combining those few diet changes with my pole dancing classes – which Dante still had no idea I was doing – I had not physically felt so good in a while.

Caught up in fantasy land, I was paying no attention to where I was walking and my right shoe heel caught between the boards on the docks, causing me to stumble forward. I had not fully hit the ground, but when I regained my balance there was immediate pain in my right ankle which broke the fall. "Damn it!" I snapped, gathering the few things that had fallen from my purse while trying to ignore the throbbing of my ankle. _I knew I should have worn flats this morning._ It did not feel bad enough to be broken, but it definitely was sprained. Luckily my car was not parked too far away so I could probably make it hopping on one foot, then get home to ice it before my ankle blew up like a balloon.

I hobbled down the steps slowly – a task much harder than it seemed – and hopped straight into Dante walking across the docks. _Why did he have to look so hot all the time?_ Despite there being some wariness in his eyes, there was no denying he was still handsome in the simplest of clothing. Dante looked at me curiously, as to why I was hopping on one foot. "I'm having a clumsy day." I answered nonchalantly before he could ask.

Once again his eyes shifted to my ankle that was still throbbing and now beginning to swell. "Do you need a ride somewhere, possibly to the hospital?"

"I have my car, I'll be fine." I declined. The last thing I wanted was to be confined to a car with him, even if it was a short ride. Enough time had not passed where I could manage to be buddy, buddy like nothing happened. The cuts were still too fresh and too deep for me to consider him a friend.

I walked – well more like hobbled – around him, hoping he would let me go in peace, but he placed a hand on my arm to stop me. Considering the way he treated me, his touch was both foreign and familiar if that made any sense. It was like I expected him not to let me walk away yet I was still surprised when he didn't. Dante got down in front of me, ironically on one knee, and my heart quickened even though my head knew he was just checking my ankle. He removed the strappy sandal from my foot as gently as possible, yet I could not help but wince at the contact. "Your ankle is swollen and from the looks of things you can't put pressure on it to walk, furthermore drive. I was heading to your place anyway."

"What for?" I asked, immediately on the defense. The last time we were around each other it was cold and rigid to say the least; far from the intense attraction we had experienced.

"We need to talk. But let me get you off your feet first, I don't like the way that ankle looks." He got to his feet and in one quick, fluid motion Dante scooped me up into his arms, carrying me like a husband would his new bride over the threshold. I opened my mouth to protest the sudden closeness but he cut me off before the words could escape. "I'm not letting you walk so don't bother arguing."

I could argue, fight him, scream at the top of my lungs for him to put me down, but it felt so comfortable and right that I did not want to let go. The scent of soap mixed with the natural essence that was Dante, calmed and comforted me more that I was willing to admit. For these few moments I could pretend this was normal and ok; that we were normal and ok instead of forlorn.

_So much for not caring anymore_. Chivalry was clearly not dead and it was just my luck that Dante possessed that trait in spades. He carried me from the docks to his car, from the car into my building where he would not let me stand in the elevator even though I assured him I could balance for the short trip to the 3rd floor, and from the elevator into my apartment and onto the couch. Making it all look almost effortless. He filled a bag with ice then tenderly rested it on my ankle. The cold mixed with the continuous soreness made me wince in discomfort, but the ice soon took its effect and dulled some of the pain.

"Better?" He asked placing one of the couch pillows under my ankle to elevate it and making sure I was comfortable.

I could only nod a yes because at the moment I was totally lost. Weren't we supposed to be fighting? At each other's throats? Unable to stand the sight of each other? Instead Dante was taking care of me as if nothing had changed. I was waiting for the punch line or the other shoe to drop because there had to be more to this. A few days ago he had been mean and downright horrid to me, so it was a stretch for me to accept that all of a sudden he was being so sweet for no reason.

"What do you want to talk about?" I made no attempt to hide the growing suspicion in my voice.

His weight shifted from one leg to the other, but I did not perceive it to be a sign of nervousness but more like he was off course or disoriented. Something was weighing heavily on his mind, and although I was dying to know what, I stayed quiet and waited patiently for an explanation.

Giving up on deciding which leg to stand on, Dante opted to sit next to me; an act which sent me even further into curiosity. [I]_What is going on with him?[/_i]After a few more pensive moments of getting his thoughts together, he finally spoke. "Maxie has this theory that Brooke-Lynn was the one who took the pictures of you and Johnny to make it look like something was going on. I confronted her about it and she denied it, but Maxie is convinced so I want to know your take on all this."

I could see the doubt and confusion dancing in his mind. Maxie had made a big enough impression with her theory to put a dent in that impenetrable fortress of Dante and Brooke-Lynn's friendship, so much so that he was not sure who or what to believe. A part of me wanted to jump up and say 'ha I told you so'. Rub it in his face that his perfect Brooke-Lynn was the vindictive, manipulative bitch we all saw her to be, but I was done playing into her twisted games and trying to get him to believe me. He had heard both sides of the story, now it was up to him to discern the truth from the lies. Either way I had no intention of putting my life on hold waiting for a decision.

"Dante I already told you my side of the story and you didn't trust that I was telling the truth, so I don't really know what else you want me say. Either you believe me or Brooke-Lynn."

"I want to believe you but it's hard to when I have pictures showing me otherwise."

Those damn pictures! The source of all this unnecessary drama and upheaval. "I know there's a lot we still don't know about each other, but do you really think I'm the type of person who would keep lying to your face after I was caught? Do you think that little of me?" The flicker of hope that we would make it, immediately extinguished when Dante had no response. He was still unsure and that flared my anger. It felt like we were going in circles with no way out, and I did not want to revert to the place where one of us would say something else hurtful then regret it later. At this point it was just better to leave things be. Maybe someday we could be friends but for now this conversation was a waste of time. "There's no point in us talking if you're hell bent on believing the worst in me, so from now on unless it's about the divorce we have nothing to say to each other. Please leave."

If I could have got up and pushed him out the door I would have, but my unpleasant scowl and harsh tone would have to be enough.

"I'll make sure your car gets back to you." Dante assured, not putting up a fight to my request. He simply got up and headed to the door. On his way out he stopped and turned back rueful. "Just so you know, I didn't know Brooke was going to be at the penthouse earlier. She went there without me knowing; her way of trying to look out for me I guess. My point is I wouldn't send her over there to get under your skin. My comment about the abortion was cruel enough, I wouldn't add to that. I wouldn't hurt you like that again."

The image of him vulnerable almost to the point of abandonment was so disheartening that I almost ran after him and asked him to stay. For his sake I hoped he figured this out soon because for the first time I realized the situation was weighing on him just as much as it was on me, maybe more.

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	23. There's A Shark In The Water

**I love that everyone is so immersed in this story and anxious to see how it turns out. Even I'm anxious to see how it turns out (writing wise I mean). My only hope is that I do not disappoint you readers because at the end of the day if you stopped reading I would have no reason to write. I know I make it difficult but thanks a bunch for sticking with me through the drama thus far.**

**23 – There's a Shark in the Water**

**Metro Court - Brooke-Lynn's POV – August 2****nd**

This summer was turning out to be one of the best in a very long time without me having to put too much effort into making it happen. The universe was smiling favorably upon me, and everything was falling into place better than I could have expected. Who knew a few pictures would have done so much damage. As luck would have it, when I was returning to Port Charles I happened to see Johnny and Lulu at JFK trying to make it through the crowd of travelers. _Rendezvousing with your best friend's boyfriend, how selfish could you be?_ I thought. Being the upstanding concerned citizen I am, I decided it was my duty to give Maxie a heads up on what her boyfriend and best friend were doing behind her back. Anonymously from an internet café computer of course, because there was no way she would believe it if she knew the pictures were from me. That fact that the pictures would piss her off was retaliation for the brawl at Jakes, and putting a dent in her relationships with Lulu and Johnny was the bonus. Divide and conquer!

What I did not expect was for Dante to get his hands on the pictures. This was just supposed to be payback for Maxie and Lulu with the possibility of Johnny as the prize, but things quickly spiraled out of control causing Dante and Lulu to implode instead. Lulu was no good for Dante anyway so there was no love lost for me with the demise of that relationship. In fact I had actually done Dante a really big favor; I felt bad for lying to his face, but it was for his own good. Although Maxie was trying to stir up trouble with her big mouth, Dante was too hurt and angry to see beyond those pictures. Thank God he had inherited the Corinthos deadly sin of pride, for that alone would not allow him to forgive Lulu. Plus I was one of his oldest friends. Without solid proof he would never believe Lulu and Maxie over me. I still had to work on breaking up Johnny and Maxie, but if that failed it was nice to have Dante still in my corner without Lulu to undermine everything. A total win-win situation for me.

It was a cloudless day with the sun out in all its glorious brilliance like my mood, so I treated myself to lunch at the Metro Court then decided to top it off by adding some annoyance to Maxie and Lulu's day.

I approached the elevators intending to go to Crimson, when the day got even better and Johnny stepped off. "Hey stranger." I said with a million dollar smile, very thankful I had decided to wear a skirt today. He would have a good view of what a real woman with legs looked like rather than that short, anorexic twit.

"Brooke – Lynn, it's been a while. I didn't know you were still in town." He mentioned.

My eyes scanned him from top to bottom lustfully. The things I would love to do with that body and the things I would let him do to me.

With a flick of the wrist, I casually dismissed the prospect of me leaving town. "I'm from Bensonhurst sweetie, it takes more than a little bar fight to scare me off."

A wry smirk formed on his lips, "I'll keep than in mind." And the temperature within me rose a few degrees. _My goodness he is gorgeous_.

"Good! Because I think we got off on the wrong foot with that mess at Jakes. Even though I'm not fans of Maxie and Lulu, there's no reason you and I can't be friends." Taking a step closer, I reached out to adjust he collar of his shirt, allowing my fingers to stray to the back of his neck then slowly trace downward. "Very good friends." My voice purred with suggested seduction.

Johnny's gaze maintained mine and my entire body tingled from the bad boy sexiness he exuded. _I could stay like this all day._ He grabbed both my wrist that were now resting against his shoulders and easily put them back at my side. "Goodbye Brooke-Lynn." Then walked away.

Disappointed but not deterred, I watched him leave the hotel. Maybe swaying him from Maxie would be a little more difficult than I thought. Difficult but not impossible; I simply needed to use the right bait.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Crimson's office was quiet, making the sound of my heels on the floor louder than usual. Lulu was not at her desk, though her purse was still there so she must have been close by. Maxie on the other hand was vigilantly typing until I approached the desk. Her eyes shifted towards me for a brief moment, then returned to the computer screen without acknowledgement. "Note to self: Remind Kate to talk to Carly and Jax about better security; they're letting trash in the building." She mentioned snidely, still typing.

"Someone could use a little customer server training." I commented with a grin. No one could get on my nerves with the fabulous day I was having, but it was oh so easy to get on Maxie's. Even more so that Lulu was not around to subdue her. "I just came to tell you thanks for running to Dante to tattle on me. It turns out you did me a huge favor because now our friendship is stronger than ever and there's an even bigger wedge between him and Lulu."

Maxie finally stopped typing to look up at me. Her eyes narrowed to slits but she held it together and simply glared at me "I wouldn't get too cocky if I were you. You're bound to make a mistake and when you do I'll be right there to make sure everyone knows what a conniving little bitch you really are."

"And if I were you I would worry more about keeping my man rather than getting involved in other people's relationships." Leaning against Lulu's desk, I fiddled with a small snow globe paperweight acting as if Maxie and I were two girlfriends having a friendly chat. In a way I really might be doing her a favor. Maybe there was something actually going on between Johnny and Lulu – I doubted it because Lulu appeared to be hung up on Dante, and Johnny was clearly into Maxie – but you never know. Either way by the time I was done insinuating and speculating, I was counting on Maxie to be her own worst enemy and derail her relationship. "Don't you find it the tiniest bit strange that your best friend and your boyfriend are so cozy? The men who leave Lulu _do_ have a track record for wanting her back: Dillon, Logan, even Dante misses her. Johnny might be having that Lulu itch, and poor, lonely, heartbroken Lulu is in a perfect position to take care of that for him." I shook my head the notion as if it were utterly ridiculous to even think such a thing. "What am I talking about; you and Lulu are the best of friends. You would never try to steal each other's boyfriends. And I'm sure Lulu would never dream of getting back at you for any of the stuff you did to her before you two were friends."

The seeds of doubt had been planted and no matter how confident and sure Maxie was pretending to be, one innocent glance between Johnny and Lulu could germinate those seeds into paranoia and mistrust.

"Get out before I push out… through a window." She seethed.

The smile never left my face as I shrugged unfazed by the empty threat, then went to the elevator. "Enjoy your day." To add one final touch that would surely make her combust, I held the doors for a moment to deliver a few parting words. "By the way, I saw Johnny earlier and we had a great talk about getting to know each other and becoming friends. He's such a flirt though, and that smile was enough to set the place on fire."

"Get OUT!" Maxie all but screamed, and I removed my hand to wave tauntingly as the elevator doors closed.

Mission accomplished! This was way too easy.

**[b]Park - Lulu's POV – August 8****th****[/b]**

One would think that today of all days I could at least allow narcissism to prevail, but Dante was still the focus of my thoughts. That lost forlorn image he had before leaving the apartment was not sitting well with me; in fact it was starting to worry me. He wanted to believe me, I could see it, but the doubt, jealousy and his friendship with Brooke-Lynn were winning. I shook my head in disbelief at how vindictive that girl was. After the stunts I pulled with Dillon God knows I was far from a saint, but I would never set out to hurt someone as close to me as Dante is to her. There were just some lines that should not be crossed, but apparently Brooke-Lynn had no regards for moral lines. Nonetheless, I had no intention of begging or pleading with Dante to believe me. A relationship needed trust to survive, so if Dante did not trust me we would be doomed from the start.

Sitting on one of the park benches, I lazily savored a small cup of cookies and cream ice cream on yet another hot summer day. I never really planned much when it came to my birthday, but when Dante and I got closer I allowed myself to fantasize that we would spend the day together in our happy bubble. _Oh how times quickly changed._ Even though I could not spend the day with Dante, I had my best friend and was very grateful because she was making a valiant effort to ensure I enjoyed the day. She treated me to breakfast this morning, insisting I wear a ridiculous pink tiara that said 'birthday princess'. At first I refused, deeming it childish, but she swore it would make me feel fabulous so I relented. I had to admit it was nice having everyone who passed wish me well.

I got up to throw away the empty ice cream container when Johnny came towards me from the opposite direction. "Hey, happy birthday." He greeted.

"Thanks." I replied surprised that he actually remembered, but then I followed his eyes to the pink tiara still sitting atop my head and quickly pulled it off. "I forgot I was still wearing that."

He chuckled lightly in response to my embarrassed reaction. "I'm glad I ran into you. I've been meaning to talk to you about something. Give me a call when you have time."

My interest was piqued. Johnny and I had not had any in depth conversations in a long time, and whatever he wanted to talk about seemed important. Did Maxie tell him about the pictures? Was he mad? Were they having problems because of it? It was bad enough that my relationship with Dante was ruined; I did not want the effects to trickle down to Johnny and Maxie. This was the first time in a very long time I had seen her genuinely happy so I did not want to be a part of anything that would threaten that happiness.

"I have time now."

We took a seat on the bench I was sitting on previously and I waited anxiously for him to talk. "Maxie is a handful, and half the time she drives me crazy but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love her and I can't see my life without her in it so I want to do something special to show her how much she means to me. Since you're her best friend I'm pretty sure you would have some insight that I don't, so I was hoping you'd help me plan something really special."

Happiness, relief and longing flooded my soul all at once. I was overjoyed to hear the love and surety Johnny felt for Maxie. They exemplified a solid force, impenetrable against whatever power that conspired to destroy them, and I would be lying if I said I did not wish night after night to hear those same words come from Dante about me. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. _Today is my birthday; I am not going to cry. I'm done crying._ I chided myself.

Determined to hold it together – if not for me then for Maxie - I took a deep breath and willed myself to focus on helping Johnny plan an amazing time for her. She deserved this. "Of course I'll help in any way I can. Are you proposing?"

"I'm thinking about it, but I know how much getting her career on track means to her so I'd be okay with waiting until she's ready. I just want her to know I'm all in with her. Maxie is it for me." He revealed with so much conviction that I wished Maxie was here to hear how lucky she was to have a man who trusted and loved her without reservation. Why couldn't I have that? Why couldn't Dante simply trust me? Gosh I sounded pathetic. "There are a few things I liked at the jewelry store but it would be great if you could take a look at them and give me your opinion. I know you have a lot going on, so whenever you have the time."

Johnny tactfully skirted about my marital status even though it was no secret Dante and I were separated. In a small town like Port Charles, news travelled very fast and it did not take a neon sign for the people in our circle of friends and family to realize we were no longer living together. "What did Maxie tell you?" I asked, still curious if she may have told him what was really happening between Dante and me; especially since he was inadvertently part of the problem.

"She didn't give me the details, she just came over to my place one night ranting about Brooke-Lynn trying to destroy our lives and I need to stay away from her."

"You should stay away from her!" I snapped, feeling my blood heat at just the sound of her name. Since Brooke was determined to slither her way into our lives like the snake she was, I decided to give Johnny a heads up without revealing too much information. "Maxie suspects Brooke-Lynn is trying to make it look like something is going on with us to break up me and Dante."

Johnny rolled his eyes, most likely finding the thought of us getting back together as absurd as the grass turning blue and the sky turning green. We were incompatible as lovers, and had no desire to ever go down that road again. How is it that everyone realized that except Dante? "You know I can't stand the guy but I'll talk to him if it helps you out." He offered.

"I appreciate that but if Dante doesn't trust me, we don't stand a chance." Although I missed him so much, I was not going to explain myself over and over like a broken record when I did nothing wrong. I said my piece and it was up to him to figure out the rest on his own. "Now let's go shopping." I told Johnny, jumping to my feet with as much enthusiasm as I had.

He wanted to say more but I shook my head refusing to rehash what was already broken. Instead we exited the park and I found myself getting excited at the plans already formulating in my mind, and welcoming the distraction this project would bring. If I could not make my relationship work, the least I could do was help two friends solidify theirs. That had to count for some kind of good karma, then maybe the universe would finally give me a break and allow me to be happy once and for all.

**[b]Dante's POV[/b]**

My mother unfortunately found out that Lulu and I were on the outs, most likely from Carly, and had been calling me or showing up unannounced every waking minute to interrogate me on what happened. Refusing to give up any information, I reasoned it as a temporary thing and abruptly ended the conversation until she got the hint to butt out. I was not in the mood to do anything - least of all work or talk to my mother - so I opted for spending the day on the streets of Port Charles' main shopping area. As much as I tried to run from the significance of today, I found myself constantly stopping into various stores whenever something Lulu may like caught my attention. Every time I considered getting her a gift my nerves got the best of me and I retreated. She had made it extremely clear that outside of the divorce she wanted nothing to do with me, so I was pretty sure accepting a gift from me was out of the question.

The divorce was another issue I failed to address. For personal and business reason I had not initiated any sort of divorce proceedings in hopes that it would take a while before Lulu realized or that she would change her mind. From my head's point of view I still had the inheritance to consider so we needed to stay married for another eight months in order for me to collect. My heart on the other hand had very different motives. Lulu had subtly become such an intricate part of my life that being alone all the time did not hold the appeal it once did. The longer she was gone the more I missed her, and the more my subconscious was pleading with me to swallow my pride and ask her to come back. Lately it felt like I had been living that scenario where the devil was one shoulder telling me to forget Lulu and the angel was on the other shoulder saying to believe her and apologize. The devil had won the initial battle but the angel was determined to win the war.

I walked further up the street to a nearby café for some coffee when I saw Lulu on the opposite side with none other than Johnny Zacchara. The devil on my shoulder proceeded to laugh hysterically pointing out that I would be a fool to believe anything Lulu had to say, and the more I saw I had no choice but to agree. Johnny held the door to the jewelry store open for Lulu, then followed after like the dutiful boyfriend. I should have walked away. What more did I need to see? Her lies and betrayal were staring me in the face yet again, but like a stalker zeroed in on the object of his obsession, I crossed the street and stood frozen, peering keenly through the store's glass window.

After a brief conversation with the attendant, another appeared with a bracelet and clasped it on Lulu's wrist. She held out her hand towards Johnny, both of them admiring the jewelry frosted with diamonds. He whispered something to her and a smile spread across Lulu's face escalating to laughter. A part of me ached remembering how deterrent she was when I wanted her to choose a wedding ring that she considered too expensive, and now she was all smiles and full of life over a just as expensive birthday gift. _I guess the rings were from the wrong man_. My subconscious reasoned solemnly. There was no way she could explain her way out of this one, and to make sure I had my own rock solid evidence I was going to document her comings and goings for a while. That was the only way I could think of to get her to stop lying and finally admit the truth.

Every second I continued watching them happily pick out her birthday gift, the knife in my back – or possibly my heart- twisted a little deeper until every possibility I had of forgiving Lulu vanished. The devil had won the war.

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**Lots of love till next time and have a wonderful week **


	24. Too Late To Apologize

**Firstly I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend. If it was a sad day for you then I hope tomorrow (well technically today since its after midnight) is better and something happens or even someone comes along to lift your spirits. **

**Secondly, there is a section in this chapter that says Dante and Lulu's POV. In that section anything in regular text is Dante and anything in bold text is Lulu. It will be easy to pick up on the change while you're reading. The reason I wrote it that way is I wanted to simultaneously show you their reactions to the same situation while it was playing out. **

**I know this is one of those long time coming chapters so let me shut up and let you get to reading. ENJOY!**

**24 – Too Late to Apologize**

**Lulu's POV – August 19****th****  
**

Johnny handed me a glass of water then sat on the couch next to me so we could finalize the details of this proposal or commitment – either way there was a ring involved. He had a general idea of what he wanted, and after some adjustments from me it was going to be beautiful. Maxie was the epitome of femininity, a real girly girl, so I wanted to make this proposal as romantic as possible. The event would take place in the afternoon sailing around the harbor on Johnny's yacht filled with flowers: pink peonies, violet and white orchids – her two favorites - and a few touches of red columbines in between for aesthetic effect. Then, dinner would be a three course meal specially catered by the chef from her favorite restaurant in the city. As irritating and shallow Maxie could be at times, no one could deny she oozed charm and style. It was how she constantly got her way and why she was so good at her job, so I got the idea to incorporate a little bit of both into the proposal. Johnny had purchased a white gold diamond charm bracelet with four charms that symbolized meaningful events in their relationship. Each charm had a single word engraved somewhere on it which when read together said 'Will You Marry Me.'

The ring was absolutely gorgeous and screamed Maxie: platinum set round diamond surrounded by smaller round accent diamonds, and a hint of color in the form of square cut rubies. To add a personal touch their initials were engraved on the inside. The price was exorbitant but Johnny was unfazed in his willingness to do almost anything to make Maxie happy. Wistfully touching my rings hanging from a chain around my neck, I remembered how shocked I was when Dante placed them on my finger. 'Way too expensive for a fake marriage' I thought, but there was no denying the rings would always hold a special place in my heart. Not for their beauty or price, but for what they represented; at least what I started to hope they would represent someday.

"You ok?" Johnny asked waving his hand in front of my face.

Jumping back to the here and now I released the rings and pushed them on the inside my blouse. _How ironic that they fell exactly against my heart_. "Yeah sorry." I shook the reminiscent thought away and refocused on the task at hand. "Tomorrow I have to pick up the chef from the airport at 12:30 so make sure someone is at the yacht at 12 when the flowers are delivered. Afterwards I'll pick up the ring and the bracelet from the jewelers. Everything will be done by 4 so all you have to do is sweep Maxie off her feet."

"Thanks again for doing this."

I returned his credit card and the receipts for the purchases I had made, then gathered the rest of my belongings into my purse. "Glad to help, but if you really want to thank me just make each other happy and give me a goddaughter; there are no girls in my family." I added teasingly, yet secretly looking forward to seeing him and Maxie as parents someday. It would be very interesting to see how they coped as parents to rebellious carbon copies of themselves.

His face blanched with panic at the notion of children just like Dante did at our wedding when his grandmother brought up the subject. Maxie and I were in no hurry to have children either but Johnny and Dante seemed way more adamant about it than we were. I assumed it had to do with their line of work and the constant fear that one of their enemies could hurt them through their children. Maybe it was a good thing to get out of this marriage before I fell in love, that way I would not have the burden of worrying about my future children being used as weapons to gain power and territory.

"Being happy I can handle, but you're going to have a long wait for that goddaughter." He assured opening the door for me.

Johnny and I froze instantly when Maxie was on the other side of the door staring at us with just as much surprise. "What are you doing here?" She asked, directing the question to me.

_Crap!_ She was supposed to be working late which is why I used the opportunity to finalize plans with Johnny. Maxie was very astute and suspicious by nature, so whatever we came up with had to be believable or it would take no time for her to figure out the truth. He and I glanced at each other apprehensively, thinking of a plausible excuse for my presence. "My car was having problems and he fixed it for me." I finally explained.

That was definitely believable especially since Johnny still had the garage and he was good with cars, but Maxie raised an eyebrow skeptically, unconvinced by my random car trouble. "So you brought it here and not to the garage?" She stepped into the apartment and peered around the room keenly for anything that would confirm we were lying.

"It's dark out and I didn't want her car to stall on some random street, so I told her to bring it here." He continued with the ruse.

The more we lied, the higher the chances we would get tied up and say the wrong thing, so our best bet for keeping this secret was for me to make a swift exit and hopefully Johnny could subdue her into forgetting all doubts. "Thanks again." I mumbled then got out of there before Maxie could ask any more questions. It was not my habit to lie to her but this was for a worthy cause. She was going to be so surprised and happy tomorrow when she stepped onto the yacht.

**The Next Day - Maxie's POV**

Something was off with Johnny and Lulu. I may have been blonde, but not blonde enough to be oblivious to the fact they were lying through their teeth last night. Lulu's car worked fine, and even if it had randomly started giving trouble there was no way Johnny could have fixed the car at the apartment because most of his tools were at the garage.

"_Don't you find it the tiniest bit strange that your best friend and your boyfriend are so cozy?"_ Brooke-Lynn's words sounded hauntingly through my brain, and I quickly shook away the treacherous thought. Johnny and Lulu were over years ago; there was no way they would hook up again. _So what else could they be hiding?_ I walked out of Kelly's contemplating this new found relation between my boyfriend and my best friend. Since we were all somewhat connected, perhaps enough time had passed that they were starting to build a friendship. I took a sip of my iced coffee and smiled contently to myself, refusing to believe anything other than friendship.

Johnny and I had a date later this afternoon, so I had a bit of time to kill before I needed to get home. With a slave driver like Kate for a boss, it was rare to have days when I could simply relax without having to worry if layouts got to the printers on time and getting the latest scoop on a new designer or line before the competition. Today was a calm day just for me and I fully intended to enjoy it.

Leisurely making my way down the stairs on the docks, Dante practically pushed past me like a fugitive on the run. "Watch where you're going!" He snapped without a trace of apology in his voice.

He was the one who ran into me and still had the audacity to cop an attitude. _The Nerve! _"What's your problem!" I returned in the same harsh tone that mimicked his.

Dante briefly halted mid-step and turned to me with startling, dark, menacing eyes, and a murderous glare that almost intimidated me. "Your lying friend Lulu!" Then continued on his hasty journey to God knows where. Once or twice I had the displeasure of seeing those exact eyes on Sonny and it always meant he was out for blood. While Dante had never struck me as the ruthless or revenge seeking type, from the rage emanating through every pore in his body there was no telling what he was capable of.

"Dante wait a minute!" I called hoping to stop whatever stupid, reckless move he was going to make. As the pro of making impulsive, ill thought out decisions when angry, I knew a disaster waiting to happen when I saw it. He was clinging to a beige manila folder, and kept walking steadfastly towards the harbor where lines of boats and yachts were anchored next to the pier. "Will you slow down I'm wearing heels here."

He ignored me so I had no choice but to do a quick sprint while praying that I did not break my ankle or worse.

Eventually I caught up and grabbed a tight hold of his shirt to stop him. "What happened? Why are you so angry at Lulu?"

"Cut the crap Maxie, I know."

Now that we were in complete open air without shade or buildings to block the elements, the sun belted its full brightness upon us while the sea breeze helped to cool things down. I squinted from the glare and gawked dumbfounded, waiting for an explanation. Didn't he realize I had no idea what he was talking about? "That's great that you know but I don't so how about you clue me in."

"You'd defend her to the end wouldn't you?" He said more as a statement than a question, and with a high level of disgust. Again I was left baffled by where this was going. He needed to stop talking in riddles and tell me what happened because I was very lost. My silence and what he presumed to be blind loyalty to Lulu annoyed him further and he threw the hand without the folder in the air shouting. "Johnny and Lulu! I know they've been seeing each other."

It took longer than usual for my brain to decide on the appropriate response to that statement. I could laugh this off for the joke it was or buy into the rumors and suspicions Brooke-Lynn was likely filling Dante's head with. I chose to laugh it off, but admittedly, Brooke-Lynn deserved credit for being thorough enough to cover her bases this time. By telling Dante and me the same distorted story, she had a 50/50 chance of someone believing her; however I was not giving her the satisfaction of manipulating and goading me into blowing my life apart. Game recognized game.

"Newsflash Dante, Johnny isn't with Lulu; he's been dating me for a while now." I told him confidently.

"Well I guess the joke is on both of us because I have proof he's been seeing Lulu." He handed me the folder and I flipped through it quickly at first, then in more detail as the images began to register. There were dozens of pictures, each time stamped ranging from August 9th to last night. Judging from the different clothes in each shot they made several trips to the jewelry store, Lulu going into Johnny's building, them walking through town, him buying her coffee and holding doors. There was even a picture of Johnny giving Lulu an American Express card. I hated to admit it but they did look like a couple. _Could they really be seeing each other?_

Not wanting to see anymore, I shut the folder loudly and handed it back to Dante. "Tell Brooke-Lynn nice try. She gets points for making it look real this time but I'm not buying it."

"Brooke-Lynn had nothing to do with this. I've had my people following Lulu for two weeks and this is what they've gathered."

I was not sure if it was the breeze or the chill was coming from within me, but goose bumps erupted along both my arms. The comfort of thinking Brooke – Lynn was masterminding this ordeal had been my calm; now that it was taken away I was left not knowing what to do or think next. I was always the one doing the cheating but now that the shoe appeared to be on the other foot I was getting a taste of what I had inflicted on Elizabeth, Lulu and Spinelli. It was sobering, angering and hurtful all at once.

My head shook side to side still in disbelief. "They wouldn't."

"They did!"

Call it was denial on my part, but I just could not wrap my head around my best friend and boyfriend hooking up behind my back. It was different when Johnny and I were messing around because Lulu and I had not reached this level of friendship, we were simply roommates. In no way did that excuse my actions, but it was still different and I would never dream of doing something like that to her now.

Desperate for an explanation before I flew off the rails like Dante, I searched my purse frantically for my cell phone. "I need to talk to Lulu or Johnny."

Dante scoffed then laughed bitterly. "I doubt either one of them will answer. My P.I. tracked her here; she's with Johnny on his yacht."

I ignored the accusation and dialed Johnny's number willing him to pick up and put all this craziness to rest. [i]_Come on Johnny don't do this to me_.[/i] It rang out to voicemail and I immediately tried Lulu hoping for a different outcome. Her phone also rang out to voicemail and I grumbled a curse, not liking how bad this was beginning to look. _Don't do this to yourself Maxie, he could be in the shower or doing business and Lulu could be any number of places. This was simply a coincidence._ My subconscious deduced.

Dante gave me an 'I told you so' look as I solemnly returned the phone to my purse. "Johnny and I are supposed to go out later and he's never stood me up." I told him, striving to sound as sure of my relationship as I was earlier, but it was hard to hide the uncertainty.

"If you want to bury your head in the sand that's fine, but I'm going to confront them. I want to see Lulu's face when I catch her in the act."

My stomach knotted while I stood immobilized watching Dante head along the pier. I had never been in this situation, how was I supposed to handle something that I was not sure was actually true. In my head a man was capable of anything but Johnny genuinely loved me and that had to count for something. Then there was Lulu, who was no means a saint, but she was less impulsive and thoughtless than me and I could not imagine her purposefully hurting me. Then again this was Port Charles, corruption capital of the USA, and there was no telling what anyone of us was really capable of.

**Dante and Lulu's POV**

The Maria was a magnificent yacht, and if I were not there to give Johnny and Lulu a piece of my mind I would have taken the time to fully admire it. From the moment my P.I. started keeping tabs on Lulu, the pictures got progressively harder to look at. The lunch dates and trips to the jewelry store were tolerable but her going into Johnny's apartment was the worst. My imagination conjured so many scenarios of what they were doing that I lost sleep over it, and she was not worth the torment I was putting myself through all because of my father's meddling from the grave.

Luckily there were no bodyguards so it was easy to get onboard and find my way around without any hassle.

"Dante." Maxie uttered standing at the edge of the pier in front of The Maria. I was surprised to see her still here after her unwillingness to accept Johnny had been unfaithful.

"You don't have to be here." I warned giving her one last chance to back out. Just because I was ready to confront them did not mean Maxie was. She had only just found out a few minutes ago, whereas I had weeks to process the information and accept it for what it was: a betrayal..

"I know but someone has to keep you from doing something crazy." She extended her arms to me and I helped her onto the boat. "And for the record I'm still not convinced they're seeing each other, but something is going on and I want to know what it is."

Our fate was a few steps away down the stairs to the main cabin. There was no telling what we would walk in on but I was prepared for the worst and hoped Maxie was too. Almost in slow motion, I went down the narrow staircase first with Maxie close behind. Lulu's familiar laughter immediately invaded my ears and it burned me knowing Johnny seemed to be the only one who could make her smile these days. We reached the end of the stairs and the air was thick with a fragrant blend of the flowers decorating the room. Lulu was arranging a colorful floral centerpiece on the table while Johnny placed china, glasses and silverware. The way they effortlessly worked around each other, oblivious to our presence, further set my blood on fire.

Even though Kristina and I were known for having our father's bad temper, I was the least volatile of us. It usually took a while for me to lose my cool, but everything from the past weeks bubbled to the surface and I stole a page from Sonny Corinthos' book by acting first then asking questions later. Within seconds I had crossed the room and punched Johnny in the mouth forcefully.

_I'm holding on your rope  
Got me ten feet off the ground  
And I'm hearing what you say  
But I just can't make a sound_

"Oh my God!"

"Johnny!"

Lulu and Maxie exclaimed at the same time. The sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears was so loud that I could not decipher which one of them had said what, but I assumed Lulu was the one to scream out Johnny's name. _After all, she probably had a lot of practice_.

Before Johnny could swing back the girls jumped between us, refusing to let the fight escalate. Johnny glared at me vehemently from behind Maxie as a trickle of blood seeped out of the corner of his mouth, and I smirked proudly that I had at least gotten in one good punch. [i]_Bastard![/i]_

Lulu had her back flush against my chest with both arms spread wide, blocking me from making another move. This was the closest physical contact we had in weeks, and under other circumstances I would have welcomed it, but now I was too furious to care.

"Have you lost your mind?" She asked me with the nerve to sound appalled.

Just when I thought Lulu could not get any more barefaced, she continuously amazed me at every turn. "I must have lost my mind for believing anything you had to say. I asked you point blank about Johnny and not only did you lie to my face but you went behind your best friend's back. And don't bother trying to deny it again because I have pictures and dates of all the times you've been seeing him. You've got the world to say about Brooke-Lynn but at least she never lied to me or betrayed me."

Her eyebrows knitted in dismay that I had actually brought up the one person who I knew would get under her skin. I usually tried to be careful not to rub Brooke-Lynn in Lulu's face, but after today all bets were off.

"You're crazy and paranoid just like your old man was. Do yourself a favor and get off my boat before you make an even bigger fool of yourself!" Johnny threatened.

Unfazed by his warning, I was ready for a fight if that was what he wanted. I had nothing left to lose. "Or what?"

**It was like those moments in a movie where everything changed in a split second and you knew nothing would ever be the same again. The sad thing is it was no movie it was my life. I had never seen this side of Dante. The usually composed and charming man was wild with rage, and for the first time capable of violence. Johnny made a step towards Dante, but thankfully Maxie refused to get out of the way. Although I was beyond pissed at Dante I knew a physical fight between him and Johnny could end in a hospital visit for one or both of them.**

"**Don't tell me you believe his garbage?" Johnny questioned Maxie, hoping she had more sense than to align herself with this plan. When the question was met with silence he rolled his eyes incredulously. "If I was going to cheat on you I wouldn't be stupid enough to flaunt it all over town in broad daylight, and with Lulu of all people."**

**Great, not only had Dante's unwarranted jealousy ruined our chances, now it was damaging Johnny and Maxie's relationship. The cursed day I married Dante Falconari was turning out to be the worst decision of my life, and God knows I had made some very bad decisions.**

"**I didn't say I believed him, I just came for an explanation. You two have been spending a lot of time together and you lied last night about having car trouble."**

"**We were lying, but for a good reason." I knew she did not believe the car trouble story but I never fathomed this was the conclusion she would draw. If Johnny and Maxie's relationship were not on the line I would continue to let the scandalous scene play out, but this ludicrousness had gone too far. "Maxie look around you and tell me exactly what you see."**

**She glanced around the room then stated its most prevalent feature. "Flowers."**

"**And what are your favorite flowers?"**

"**Pink peonies and violet orchids." The same flowers that surrounded us.**

**I handed her a sheet of paper with a list of dinner and dessert options the chef gave us from her favorite restaurant. "Take a look at this, anything on here look familiar?"**

**Realization began to set in as she looked to Johnny and a faint blush highlighted her cheeks. "It's that restaurant we went to in the city, I loved their food."**

"**Everything here is all about you: your favorite food, favorite colors, favorite flowers. I wanted to do something special for you so I thought who better to help me put it together than your best friend. That's why Lulu and I were spending so much time together." Johnny explained.**

_**You tell me that you need me  
Then you go and cut me down  
But wait...**_

**Maxie was uncharacteristically speechless while Dante hung his head shamefully. His usual tanned olive complexion paled when he finally grasped the severity of his mistake. I had no sympathy for him because the drama could have been avoided if he acted like an adult with his suspicions. This must have been my retribution for basing a marriage on business instead of love. **

**I could have possibly got over him doubting me, but having me followed and humiliating me in front of my friends instead of coming to me in private only proved Dante had no respect for me at all. When I combined the lack of respect with the lack of trust, any lingering thoughts of him and I reconciling flew out the window. "Does that answer all your questions or would you like to accuse me of something else?" I directed to him bitterly.  
**

Crap! Crap! CRAP! She was telling the truth the entire time, and instead of believing her my jealousy caused me to think up every worst case scenario and run with it like a dog with a bone. All The things I did and said to her over the past weeks played though my mind like a bad movie that would never end. _Damn It!_ "I am so sorry Lulu." Was all I could come up with on the spot, but I knew it would take a lot more than a few measly 'I'm sorrys' to get out of this. That was if forgiveness was even a possibility at this point.

_You tell me that you're sorry  
Didn't think I'd turn around and say…_

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to; they are for almost running their evening. Johnny I'm sorry about this, I hope you can salvage the evening." She said with regret even though none of this was her fault. Then made a speedy exit, mortified by how I managed to escalate a series of well meaning intentions and coincidences into something warped.

Against Maxie's warning to leave her alone I went after her. One would think I would have learned to listen more by now, but I had to let her know how sorry I was for everything. She was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I let her slip through my fingers all because of jealousy.

"Lulu! Lulu wait! Please let me explain." I pleaded, walking behind her like a lost puppy. There were a few people around the harbor giving us concerned glances as I followed Lulu, repeatedly saying 'I'm sorry' and begging her to listen to me. _  
_

I ended up following her all the way back to the docks where she finally stopped. Her face was beet red both from speed walking and anger, but it was her eyes that could always tell me what she was feeling. The hurt, anger and humiliation were all there glaring at me unforgiving, but there was something else I had never seen in her before. It was coldness; the type that could harden you heart and shut out anything or anyone if necessary. She was trying to shut me out, but I would do whatever it took to make sure that did not happen.

Lulu held on to the wooden rails tightly, taking deep breaths while staring out into the water. It was late afternoon and the sun was just beginning to make its exit giving the sky a wonderful glow. At any other time the deep oranges would have made the perfect romantic setting, but I did not dare get too close. It was making me nervous and a little worried that she was just staring at the water. No sound, no movement, just staring. I really wished she would say something.

**I should have been relieved that all the suspicions were laid to rest and Dante finally believed me, but I wasn't. Instead I was numb and angry from the inside out that it had to come to this. For weeks he had been making accusations and my word was never good enough. It took having me followed, then an unnecessary ugly confrontation for him to finally accept the truth. It never should have gotten this far in the first place, and the fact it had only cemented Dante and I had no business being together.**

"**Lulu." Dante spoke cautiously, but the sound of his voice that had once soothed me now brought vibrations of pain traveling through every synapse in my body.**

_**It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late**_

"**Don't! There is NOTHING you could say to excuse how you acted. You almost ruined what is supposed to be one of the happiest nights of Maxie's life. Johnny was going to propose to her, that's why I was helping him. Instead you decided I was cheating on you, even when I swore over and over that I wasn't. If you didn't want to believe me that was fine, but invading my privacy this way, on top of the abortion comment was too much." My eyes pooled until burning tears overflowed across my cheeks without reservation. I did not want to cry; not here, not in front of him to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he could affect me, but my emotions were on overload and this was the easiest way for them to manifest.**

_I'd take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you  
And I need you like a heart needs a beat  
But that's nothing new_

Seeing her so upset because of me deepened the wound that had been there ever since she moved out of the penthouse. I moved towards her just to offer some kind of comfort, but she flinched shunning even the slightest contact from me. "I know I messed up big time but I am begging you to let me make this right. I don't care how long it takes, I'm willing to do whatever you want, just give me a chance to fix this… fix us."

"You can't! Do you have any idea how it feels when the person you care about and thought you were building a relationship with has zero trust in you? It hurts Dante and the worst part is I did nothing to deserve that." She swatted away the tears but it did no good as fresh ones immediately replaced them. "Forget all the lawyers and red tape; I'm going to the Dominican Republic to end this farce a marriage. After that I want NOTHING to do with you." She yelled emphatically unhooking the chain around her neck, sliding the two rings off and placing them on the wooden rail. "Give them to Brooke-Lynn; I'm sure she'll be happy to have them."

_I loved you with a fire red, now it's turning blue  
And you say  
Sorry like the Angel Heaven let me think was you,  
But I'm afraid…_

A gunshot could have been less painful than watching her take off her wedding rings. I could not and would not let Lulu out of my life without a fight, so before she could get a reasonable distance away, I grasped her hand. "Don't do this. Give me one more chance to earn your trust." For a split second I thought the coldness began to thaw, but I must have been mistaken because she swung at me hard without remorse. Her fist hit me square in the jaw and I instantly clung to my left cheek which was beginning to throb.

"Stay away from me!"

At the moment I would sell my soul to take back this entire summer so we could go back to a time when we were happy. How twisted was life? The one woman who I wanted above all others, I had single-handedly managed to annihilate everything we were trying to create over some pointless pictures. The inheritance and staying married did not even matter anymore; all I wanted was Lulu in my life any way I could get her. If I thought getting on my knees would get her back I would have been on the ground in a heartbeat, but everything I said was hitting a brick wall. She was determined to shut me out of her life and her heart, and I had no idea if I was ever going to be let back in.

_It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late._

**Comment, comment, comment, good bad or indifferent. **

**Have a wonderful week everyone :)**


	25. Lie To Me and Tell Me We're Gonna Be Ok

**Hi Everyone Let me start out by saying I owe everyone a huge, huge HUGE apology, so I'm sorry. I should have updated weeks ago but this chapter gave me hell to write. This is literally the 5****th**** re-write because I was never happy with the way it turned out, but now I'm finally content with it. This chapter is short but pivotal as we go into the second half of the story so I hope you enjoy it**

**Also to anyone on the East Coast at the moment I hope you and your families are safe. This Sandy is a real _ (I'll just let you fill in the blank with an appropriate word)**

**25 – Lie To Me and Tell Me We're Gonna Be Ok**

**Lulu's POV – August 20****th **

Even though I was crying, I felt numb. The tears were on automatic now; like my body simply deciding to cry because it was the appropriate reaction to what had transpired, but the fact was I had lost sight of why I was crying. Dante had hurt me but I should not have been surprised since I was surrounded by couples who had spent years bringing out the worst in each other. My last two relationships had ended in complete disaster so I should have gotten the hint by now that nothing lasts anymore. Feelings and relationships made life complicated and almost always caused heartache. It was so much easier when Dante and I were friends with benefits; no commitments, no feelings just purely physical attraction.

Wiping away the burning tears, I glanced into my side mirror and saw Dante still following me a few cars behind. I pressed harder on the gas going way past the speed limit and began to weave through the traffic. At this rate I was probably going to get a ticket for speeding but I would have done almost anything to get as far away from Dante as possible. When I got closer to my apartment building I made a sharp U turn and doubled back towards the docks, incurring a string of angry honks and curses from other drivers. If was going to wallow in misery, at least I could do it surrounded by shelves of alcohol that would hopefully dull the pain.

Dante's car was no longer in sight so I parked my car in the first spot I could find and walked the rest of the way to the Haunted Star. This old boat held so much of the Spencer family history I could not bear to sell it. Maybe one day I would turn it into a restaurant or a club, but for now it served as a place to gather my thoughts whether it meant sitting on the deck for hours staring at the gentle movement of the water, or having a few glasses of liquid courage. Either way it was a personal sanctuary.

I tossed my purse and keys on top the bar then scanned the shelves looking for something potent enough to quickly grant me the escape I so desperately needed. My hand stopped at the tequila bottle, staring intently at its amber contents contemplating the status of my life thus far: an abortion, my third failed relationship - four if I counted Dillon – and a divorce on the horizon. "To living up to the Spencer legacy." I toasted to the universe then unscrewed the bottle and put it to my lips.

The burning trickling down my throat was a welcomed sting when everything Dante and I had been through from the moment we met to this point played across my mind like a silent movie; no sound just flashes of emotion filled images surfacing one after the other. I could pinpoint exactly how I felt in each moment and when my feeling had shifted from friendship, to like, to….

"Lulu, can we talk please?"

Surprised to hear Dante's voice I turned around in an instant. I should have figured he would have caught up with me sooner than later but I just didn't care anymore. "If you want to talk get a shrink." I told him bitterly, and then took another swig from the bottle. "Then again maybe you should be cutting back on your spending since you won't be getting that inheritance." It was a low blow but he had taken a number of cheap shots at me over the past few weeks so I figured I was entitled to give him a taste of his own medicine.

"You're drunk." He concluded reaching for the tequila bottle in my hand, but I held on to it as if for dear life.

"Not yet but give me about half an hour." I stepped around him, kicked off my shoes and ran my fingers through my hair hoping to release some of the tension.

Dante Falconari no longer had the right to be concerned with what I did and how I lived my life. If I decided to drink myself stupid then it was my business, not his. He had humiliated me enough to last a lifetime so the least he could do was let me wallow in peace.

"I made a mistake but you mean a lot to me and I don't want to lose you because I was jealous and stupid."

My lips curved into a slight smirk then I held up my hand to him, calmly listing his infractions on my fingers one by one. "Maybe you should have thought of that before you had me followed, embarrassed me, called me a liar and a cheater, and shacked up with Brooke-Lynn." I went for another swig of tequila but Dante successfully grabbed the bottle and dragged it away forcefully. His actions unfazed me; in fact it was almost amusing seeing him so bent out of shape when I was only speaking the truth. It's funny how people get angry when you tell them the truth about themselves, especially when that same person is so quick to point out your sins.

"Nothing happened with Brooke. Can't you see that the only person I want to be with is you?!" Taking me by surprise for the third time today, Dante pulled me into a hard and ravenous kiss. Our tongues battled for possession and consumption of the other and I loved how overwhelmingly forbidden this felt. No tender kisses, no meaningless sweet nothings, no gentle feather-light touches, just raw torrid physical attraction.

For a moment, I considered slapping him hard for thinking he could just kiss me like everything was ok; then I asked myself was there really any reason for us to stop? The only motive I had for swearing off sex with Dante was because I did not want to complicate our arrangement, especially after we decided to try a relationship. But,] now that everything was so screwed up there was nothing left to complicate. This marriage of convenience was soon to be over and we were right back where we started: friends with benefits. _Well no longer friends, just benefits. _This was how we began, and compared to the state of our relationship now, neither of us could deny just sex was when we were at our best.

He lifted me onto one of the tables with the hem of my shirt bunched so tightly in his hands that I was sure one quick shift in movement and the garment would become rags at our feet. Then just as randomly as Dante initiated the kiss he stopped it, leaving us wanton, breathless and staring darkly into each other's eyes. "Maybe…maybe we should talk." He finally spoke, still holding tightly onto my shirt.

_Talk?_ Talking was overrated and useless in our situation. The more we talked, the further entrenched in drama we sank with no sign of refuge or resolve. If I had my way we never had to talk again.

"Later." I lied, wrapping my legs around his waist, determined to keep him here until I got what I wanted. Closing what little space was left between us I pressed my body seductively against his and worked desperately at removing his belt and pants. Seeing Dante's half naked body made me miss him terribly, but I was on the road to self preservation which meant this had to be just sex. He lost the right to my heart the day he accused me of cheating without listening to my side of the story. Even though I had done things I regretted in life, I deserved better than a man who had no faith in me and chose to think I was capable of the worst.

Dante's hands moved with determination pulling off my jeans and panties in frantic search of skin. His fingertips pressing into my bare inner thighs dissipated the numbness that had driven me here in the first place. Now I was hot – scotching, dizzy, blinding hot - with lust and pulled him on top of me, leaning us back on the table. One of his hands instantly pinned my wrists above my head while the other caressed between my legs, in and out, relentlessly coaxing me into surrender. My hips instinctively arched into the rhythm of his hand yearning for that much needed release.

Somewhere in the logical recess of my psyche I knew having sex with him was the last thing I should have been doing, but look at what being logical had gotten me: a broken heart and unnecessary drama. This was not about getting back at Dante or using him, I just wanted to feel something good after weeks of feeling so bad.

His lips trailed a searing journey of kisses along the length of my neck, stopping at my ear lobe, nudging it gently with his teeth. "I'm sorry for everything Lulu." He whispered warmly and sincerely before sinking into me as if it were the most natural place to be in the world.

"Shhhh…" I pleaded, not wanting to hear anymore apologies. _Was it too much to ask for him to stop being so kind so that I could enjoy this without feeling like it was – for lack of better words – sinful and wrong?_

Guilt stung the back of my eyes and I closed them tightly willing myself not to cry but the physical once again betrayed the psychological, and with every thrust of increasing pleasure Dante kissed away each falling tear. His grip on my wrists loosened so that his palms were on either side of my cheeks, cradling my face. "I can stop." He offered with genuine concern.

I shook my head adamantly too far gone by my need, and that emanating from those hypnotizing chocolate brown eyes to even consider going back. "Don't."

**Dante's POV**

When I followed Lulu here, the last thing I expected was to get the one thing I wanted for months. Yet it was happening as everything I remembered it to be and then some. Our lovemaking would be the start of a new chapter where the lies, the misunderstandings and the distrust would be a thing of the past leaving room for us to build a truly solid relationship. I was not delusional about the time it would take to regain her trust, but I was willing to do whatever Lulu wanted to make sure she stayed in my life. If starting over meant a divorce, I would give it to her even if I lost my inheritance because having millions of dollars would never be worth losing a chance at genuine happiness.

Reaching in between our joined bodies my thumb repeatedly teased her, giving back what she was doing to me. Our moans filled the empty casino, and I reveled in the way Lulu could make me feel so exhilarated yet like I was drowning all at the same time. It had been such a long wait, with a constant push and pull between what our bodies wanted and our feelings. Now everything was coming together and it seemed as if we were finally getting the chance to be a good place.

I looked down into her amber eyes dazed with a mixture of unshed tears and intense desire and stopped moving out of worry that she did not want this or I was hurting her. "Are you ok?"

An impassioned urgent kiss and her ankles locking around his waist were the only answers to my question as her inner muscles clenched in the exact way she knew would drive me insane enough to temporarily forget this world. "God… Lulu!" I gasped almost painfully, and my entire body convulsed on the brink of collapse. Her nails scraped along the length of my back, eventually settling at the base of my spine where her fingertips pressed deeply into my skin. I watched her eyes close and listened to the shallow quickened pants of her breathing when she finally gave into overwhelming pleasure.

Moisture rolled from our bodies in the now increasingly humid casino and neither of us moved while we tried to catch our breaths. It was not until Lulu tapped me on the shoulder that I realized all my weight was on top of her, so I quickly jumped up to let her breathe. "Sorry about that."

She slid off the table quietly, picking up her strewn clothes and began putting them back on. I pulled on my pants then wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, easing her to me. Now that Lulu was back in my life there was no way I was letting her get away again. "Come back to the penthouse." I coaxed, kissing from below her ear to her bare shoulder blade. "I know we have a lot to work out but at least spend the night."

There was no reciprocal affection or warmth; instead she shifted to cold and detached without warning. A far cry from the woman I had just been intimate with a few minutes go. Her body stiffened against mine, then twisted out of my hold as she turned in circles searching under tables and chairs. "God where is my damn shoe?!" Lulu snapped in obvious frustration.

I watched her frantic search feeling more and more apprehensive at the way this night was turning out. Not that I was expecting sex to be a magic fix, but this was supposed to be the gateway to us starting over; instead it felt like the gate was being welded shut. I could not tell if she was mad at me, the situation or both, but either way I wanted to do whatever I could to ease her mind and make things better.

Grabbing my shirt from the floor, beneath it was the missing shoe. "Slow down a minute, you're giving me whiplash." I joked hoping to ease the tension as I handed her the shoe. Taking the sandal from me, she never cracked a smile and simply slipped it onto her foot.

"I have to go." She mumbled despondently after retrieving her purse and keys. Before I could attempt to stop her, or offer to drive her somewhere, Lulu sprinted out of the Haunted Star like she was being chased.

'_What the hell just happened?' _I wondered, heading onto the casino's deck just in time to see her running towards the docks. Every instinct in my body wanted to go after her but I did not think it would solve anything. She was doing what came natural to her when things became overbearing: she ran. All I could hope for was that she stopped running long enough to let me back in.

Just as Nona had predicted, a woman would be my undoing and Lulu was it. Everything I always wanted and needed was wrapped up in a blonde bombshell of fire, stubbornness, kindness, strength, resilience and beauty. She infuriated me in a way that was unexplainable and yet still had a hold on me like no other. When I was with her there was no other place in the world I would rather be and when I wasn't she was all I could think about. I had no idea when it happened or even how it happened, but somewhere throughout friends with benefits, a fake marriage, dating and my stupidity I managed to fall in love for the first time.

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	26. You Took Your Suitcase, I Took the Blame

**Hey everyone, here I go with another update. This one took me a lot less time than the last one Thank God! Thanks for all the patience with my sporadic updating pattern and for the constant reviews. I'm glad you haven't given up on me and I hope you like this chapter. Enjoy!  
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**26 – You Took Your Suitcase, I Took the Blame**

**Johnny's POV – August 24****th **** (A little after midnight)**

This weekend had been a whirlwind of events. After the confrontation on the yacht Maxie and I talked about everything that set this chain of events in motion; from the pictures of Lulu and I in New York to her helping me plan the engagement. These were all misunderstandings of course, but they had spurred enough jealousy to almost derail my relationship with her. If I had my way Dante would not be able to stand right now, but I had promised Maxie to leave him alone for Lulu's sake.

I entered the penthouse surprised to see Maxie still awake, stretched out on the couch yelling into the phone. "I know you're mad and all that but that's no excuse for you to be inconsiderate and selfish. The least you could do is call, text or even send a damn smoke signal to say 'hey I'm not coming to work'… I don't deserve this Lulu so you better call me." She ended the call and tossed the phone across the couch in annoyance.

The sound of my keys hitting the side table finally alerted her to my presence. When she turned to my direction exhaustion was plainly visible on her face. "You're worried about her aren't you?"

With a flick of the wrist Maxie dismissed the thought as if it were the most absurd thing in the world. "Lulu's just being dramatic. She's mad so she's doing the typical Spencer thing when life gets too overbearing: run." Her blasé attitude sounded convincing but I knew better.

Lulu had gone MIA since she left the docks and no one could get in contact with her since. Although Maxie hated to admit it, she cared about Lulu just as much as a blood relative. I had witnessed firsthand their transition from sworn enemies to friends, and they were as close as blood sisters were. Dante's latest antics seemed to hit Lulu hard and Maxie was concerned about how she was dealing with it.

"My people can search for her." I offered, knowing that Lulu had a penchant for getting into trouble whenever she was upset; that was how we in the first place. There was no doubt in my mind that she was more than capable of taking care of herself, but Port Charles was a breeding ground for organized crime and no matter how much Dante tried to stay out of the violent side of the business Lulu would always be in danger as long as she was married to Sonny Corinthos' son.

For a few seconds Maxie contemplated the suggestion then shook her head against it. "She'll come back on her own. It would just be nice if she called to give me a heads up. Dante's the one who hurt her, yet I'm being frozen out."

I sat next to her and began rubbing her shoulders, hoping to dispel some of the mounting worry over Lulu's safety. "Well it did look like you were siding with Dante towards the end."

"I would never!" She snapped incredulously while swatting my hands away. "The only reason I went with him to confront you was to make sure no one ended up in the hospital or the police station. If Dante weren't so damn paranoid and pig headed none of this would have happened, and it didn't help that tramp Brooke-Lynn was probably filling his head with garbage."

'_Not again.'_ I groaned at the prospect of rehashing this theory Maxie had that Brooke-Lynn started the picture fiasco.

We had been through this discussion more times than I cared to admit and it seemed a little over the top of a stunt for Brooke-Lynn to pull. If she wanted to break up Dante and Lulu then why send the pictures to Maxie instead of straight to Dante? There were a lot of loose ends in the story that needed to be tied up, but in the mean time it was driving Maxie crazy and as long as Brooke-Lynn was in town causing trouble I was not going to hear the end of the picture story.

"Johnny it's her, I can feel it in every bone in my body. I just wish there was a way to prove it."

As much as possible I tried to stay out of the women's drama but this needed to end before something extreme happened. Brooke-Lynn was always "friendly' towards me and made no shame of blatantly flirting. If I harmlessly flirted back that could open the door to revealing some of her plans: sinister or not. "You can… with my help."

**Lulu's POV – 8:35 AM**

Sitting at my desk, I sifted through a list of emails, hoping to catch up quickly with everything I missed. It seemed like a lifetime ago since I had done anything Crimson related when in fact it had only been two days.

Sleeping with Dante snapped the single thread that was holding my resolve, so I had to get away before I crumbled. My family had a knack for disappearing on short notice, and for once my father's nomadic tendencies were welcomed. He inconspicuously got me out of New York to a hideout of his in Florida. There I spent two and a half days lying on an old beachfront porch hoping for a sign to tell me what to do next. That sign never came, but the few days away allowed me time to shut out the world, cry, scream, vent to no one but open air, eat ungodly amounts of junk food then regroup so that I could return to my life.

I was deleting the last bit of irrelevant emails when the elevator chimed and Maxie's unmistakable footsteps hit the tiles. _3… 2… 1…_ "Look at what the wind blew in FINALLY! Do you have any idea how long I've been calling you? Where were you?"

I cringed despite expecting that reaction and swirled my chair in her direction. "Out of town; I needed some time to sort things out."

"And there were no phones where you were?"

"I'm sorry; I left in such a hurry all I could think about was getting as far away from Port Charles as possible." My apology was sincere. Maxie had nothing to do with my issues with Dante, and I should not have left her calls unanswered because if the tables were turned I would have been just as annoyed as she was.

Maxie eyed me hard but eventually relented. "Fine, but the next time you decide to pull a disappearing act pick up the phone." I nodded in agreement and placed her favorite latte in front of her as a peace offering. She smiled and just like that our tiff was over. "Now what happened with you and Dante when you left the docks? And don't say nothing because he's been calling me nonstop and sending stuff to the apartment."

"Things got really complicated between us." Was all I replied, flashing back to our indecent encounter at the Haunted Star. Goosebumps instantly rose to my skin and it was as if I could still feel his touch setting my body ablaze.

"Complicated like he's got a lot of groveling to do before you forgive him or complicated like you're making plans to go to the Dominican Republic?" She asked, wasting no time delving into the story.

"Complicated like we accidentally had sex and now I don't know what to do." I rattled quickly then covered my face like a giddy school girl gushing about her first kiss.

"I'm impressed; that's totally something I would do. Angry sex is hot!" Maxie laughed at my embarrassment and I could not help but laugh with her.

It made no sense that I was being so shy about this, it was not like we had never had sex before, but there was something so intense about that night it was like something between us had shifted. Though I was not sure if it was for the better or worse. "I honestly didn't mean for it to happen. One minute we're arguing and I'm so mad I'm numb, then the next he's kissing me and one thing lead to another…"

"And you're ripping each other's clothes off against a wall." She finished wistfully.

My mouth opened in shock then we both erupted in laughter once again. It felt so good to laugh about the situation even if it solved nothing. "Let's talk about something else, like your engagement. How was it? Did you guys set a date yet?"

Maxie took the hint for now but I knew this was not the end of our conversation. At some point she would try to get everything out of me. "Despite the drama, it was amazing and beautiful, thanks to you. No date yet; we're taking our time with the engagement- maybe a year or two."

"That's great. And don't thank me it was all Johnny, I just helped with the execution." I told her with as much enthusiasm as possible. Even though I was incredibly happy things had turned out so well for Johnny and Maxie, it stirred up feelings of what Dante and I could have been; what I foolishly thought we were on our way to being.

"If Broke-Lynn had her way all your hard work would have gone down the drain." Maxie commented bitterly. She was still convinced that Brooke-Lynn sent the pictures that started this mess, and even though we had no proof I believed it.

Brooke- Lynn was admittedly a pain in my side, and I figured she was taking every advantage of me not being around to hang all over Dante like cheap perfume. At this point I should not have cared since I was the one who walked out, but the thought of her getting her hooks into him infuriated me to no end.

Coming back to the present, I shook away the dark thoughts and focused on the day's work. Dealing with Kate's constant demands would trump thinking about Dante and 'she who shall not me named' any day. "Forget her; we have bigger things to deal with like the Seven Deadly Sins Party. When I walked in Kate wasn't happy when she realized we hadn't started making arrangements."

Since the end of summer was quickly approaching, Kate insisted that Crimson throw an end of summer party to finish the season with a bang. A white party seemed like the most obvious choice, but it was so overdone. Port Charles was drama filled, with summertime especially bringing out the jaw dropping scandals: lies, adultery, greed, envy, lust and even murderous rages. Thus the idea of the Seven Deadly Sins Party was born - a night to indulge in the decadence of all our summer sins.

Maxie pulled a few sheets of paper from her desk and handed them to me. "The top one is a list of places Kate approved as venues, we just need to check them out and pick one like yesterday. The rest is everything we need to get done for the party."

I scanned the lists recognizing some of the addresses, as well as people we had used for previous events Crimson hosted. "Ok we can do the venue today then divide all the other stuff." The party was definitely going to be a lot of work in a short period of time, but I welcomed the distraction from my turbulent life. If I was focused on party planning, hopefully I would have no time to think about Dante.

**Dante's POV – August 24****th**** 8:45 PM**

Four days had passed since anyone had laid eyes on Lulu. I knew she was not hurt or in danger because when I asked her family about her whereabouts they were too calm and unconcerned. If something bad had happened her brothers would have assembled an army to find her. At the moment my biggest fear was that Tracy or Nikolas had whisked her away to the Dominican Republic to fulfill the threat of ridding me from her life forever. If I had some surety that the divorce would give Lulu time to cool off then forgive me I would fly her to the Dominican Republic myself, but this seemed to be the only thing holding us together. Sex had only made things worse so without the marriage I had no reason to interact with her.

Despite that I deserved to be ignored and then some for everything I had put her through, I was not about to let the best thing that ever happened to me walk out of my life without a fight. So far I sent dozens of flowers, those cupcakes she liked and the most expensive chocolates I could find to the apartment and still nothing. I was not expecting a thank you but I was hoping for some sort of reaction even if it was just to yell at me. Yelling was better than silence because at least that meant she still cared. I was so desperate to talk to her that I called Maxie hoping she would be able to broker some kind of meeting between us, but Lulu was not returning Maxie's calls either.

Even though I knew it would be a lost cause, I retrieved the phone from my pocket and dialed Lulu's number. "Hi this is Lulu, leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible." BEEP

"Hey beautiful, it's me again. I think I must have set a record by now for the most calls in a day." I chucked nervously hoping to lighten the mood of the message, then got to the point. "Lulu I know I screwed up big time but we need to talk, even if you just want to yell or hit me again. I can take whatever you dish out just please…" BEEP. The end of message warning sounded, immediately cutting me off.

I threw the phone across the couch and watched it tumble to the floor with minimal noise. The harder I tried to make things right the greater Lulu's resistance, and I was beginning to think there truly was no coming back from this. _'But we slept together, that has to count for something.'_ My subconscious reasoned.

A sudden knock at the door made me jump from the couch in anticipation, hoping it was Lulu. When I opened the door, I felt the blow to my right jaw before my mind could register the blur of a fist coming towards me. "That's for almost ruining my relationship." Johnny told me angrily, clearly out for vengeance.

It throbbed to move my jaw side to side but nothing felt broken, so I probably should have considered myself lucky. "I guess I deserved that." I conceded, knowing that my jealousy had not only hurt Lulu but had also threatened Johnny and Maxie's relationship. I didn't like the guy but I had no intention of meddling in his personal life when it had nothing to do with Lulu.

"You deserve a lot more than that for the stupid stunt you pulled. The only reason I'm not kicking your ass right now is 'cuz Maxie asked me not to, and Lulu wouldn't want that."

"I guess I should be grateful." I mumbled, then moved from the entrance to allow Johnny inside.

Although I now knew there was nothing romantic between Johnny and Lulu, it still irked me that he seemed to have a soft spot for her and vice versa. I could understand Maxie's protectiveness because she was Lulu's best friend, but there was something else that kept them connected – an unspoken bond - and I wanted to find out what that bond was.

Considering the trouble I had already caused, I continued to tread on what was already shaky ground. "What is it with the two of you? You're always warning me not to hurt her, Lulu's more than willing to help you out at the drop of a hat and she practically pounced on Brooke-Lynn for looking at you. Can you blame me for thinking there was something going on between you?"

"Lulu and I went through a lot together. If you want the details ask her, but I will say we were no good for each other and all I ended up doing was hurting her. We've come a long way since then, and I consider her a friend so I want her to be happy."

Hearing him say that should have given me some peace of mind, but it only made me seethe more that he had a connection to Lulu I did not understand, while I could not even get her to talk to me. "You must be one hell of a friend if she was willing to take a murder wrap for you."

Johnny rolled his eyes at my transparent and unwarranted comment. "Keep that attitude and I guarantee you'll never get Lulu back." He warned before leaving.

I slammed the door shut behind him, then picked up a glass hurling it at the wall. Frustration was fueling my short temperedness. Johnny was the last person I wanted advice from, and it burned me even more that he might be right.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Claustrophobia had never affected me; that was always my father's problem but I was starting to understand what it felt like to have the walls closing in on you. Everything in the penthouse seemed to be taunting me as a constant reminder that something - well someone - was missing. I had to get out of the house before I drove myself crazy. Without Lulu it felt like four walls, a roof and a floor instead of the home it started to become when she was there.

Deciding to get some air, I took my keys and went for a walk around town. Port Charles had a quaint yet haunting beauty at night. For the people who were just visiting it was one of many small towns in the USA with scenic backdrops and charm, but for the people who lived here it housed violence, secrets, and scandals mixed with periodic romance and mystery. Somehow I had gotten caught up in it all.

Just as I was in the vicinity of Kelly's, a woman was walking in the opposite direction and from the back she looked like Lulu: same height, same hair color, and even the purse draped over her arm looked like one I had seen her use a few times. "Lulu?!" I called out questioningly, unsure if I missed her so much I was hallucinating.

The woman turned around and it was in fact my missing wife. As I closed the distance between us, the surprised expression on her face morphed into concern. "What happened to your face?" Lulu asked touching my cheek that had turned bright red from Johnny's assault.

Some of my confidence and hope returned, seeing that she still cared. "Nothing I didn't deserve. Where have you been? I was worried about you." I asked reaching up to clasp that hand that was still against my cheek but Lulu removed it, ending our fleeting connection.

"Florida. I needed to get away." She explained. "But thank you for the flowers and chocolate, although you really shouldn't have."

"My mom always said chocolate can cure anything, so I was hoping she was right." I offered with a small smile, but Lulu's stoic face never budged.

"Dante…"

Before she could say anything else I launched into the apology I had recited repeatedly ever since I had made the mistake of misjudging her. "I know I hurt you. The chocolate and flowers can't even begin to make up for what I put you through but…"

Lulu held up her hands, ceasing my diatribe. "Stop apologizing. It's done and nothing you say is going to make me feel any better. Just give me a little time and space for now; once I figure out what to do next we'll talk, ok?"

"Yeah of course, whatever you need." I agreed making sure not to push my luck.

Lulu gave a polite nod then left in the same way she came. At the very least she had not divorced me so that was a step towards the positive.

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	27. I Dont Want 2 Know What I Know 2 Be True

**27 – I Don't Want To Know What I Know to be True**

**August 29****th**** - Lulu's POV**

Maxie and I had spent a long afternoon shopping for the Seven Deadly Sins Party. Considering most of my summer was spent warring with Dante over something that should not have gone this far in the first place, I found the perfect red dress to commemorate the occasion. Maxie on the on the other hand had not been so lucky. She had fallen in love with a beautiful short purple dress, but it unfortunately did not fit and she had been miserable since. Her disappointment led us to Jakes where I suggested she drown her shopping sorrows in beer and the best fries in Port Charles.

"These are so good. Have some, it'll cheer you up." I offered pushing the basket of fries closer to her, but she pushed them back to me.

"I'll pass."

Shrugging nonchalantly I continued eating without apology. "Don't tell me you're starting some crazy diet just because the dress didn't fit?" I loved my best friend dearly but she could be so dramatic about the simplest things.

Maxie's eyebrows shot up then knitted in a look that would have left me buried and rotting if looks could kill. "It fit!"

"Yeah, if you planned to give up breathing the entire night. You should have just taken a size up." I laughed at her denial remembering the tantrum she had when the zipper struggled to move past her waist. When I finally did get the zipper all the way up Maxie was visibly uncomfortable but refused to admit it. Literally dragging her out the store was the only thing that kept her from buying the dress.

With arms folded she continued to seethe. "I don't need a bigger size. I'm a size 2; I've always been a size 2. It's not my fault the dress was poorly made." Then leaned back in the chair like a petulant child pouting because she could not get her way.

"Sor-ry." I mumbled beneath my breath.

I had seen Maxie whiny and miserable over minor things, but this was too much even for her. So she may have gained a pound or two, I could not understand what the big issue was. She was a far, far cry from overweight and there were women out there who would kill for her body. Working for Kate, we had seen firsthand the dark side of fashion filled with too many anorexic, bulimic and strung out models willing to do anything to be what the industry wanted. I hoped this was not the beginning of a serious problem, and made a mental note to keep an eye on her.

The mood went somber and I drank a mouthful of beer hoping to avoid setting her off again.

My best friend sighed listlessly and held the brown bottle, turning it back and forth in her hand, staring with too much trepidation. If I did not know better I would have thought she was a teenager having her first taste of alcohol. "I don't think I be drinking this." She finally spoke placing it back on the table.

"Why not?"

"Because I might be pregnant."

The liquid in my mouth went down too quickly causing a coughing fit. I could only imagine the spectacle I was making, but pregnant was the last word I expected to hear from Maxie Jones. "P-PP -PREGNANT?! H-how… I mean –" The words tumbled out of my mouth in a jumbled mess and I could barely form a coherent thought, furthermore sentence. Not that something was wrong with her being pregnant but I never heard Maxie talk about wanting to have kids. The only time I had seen any kind of maternal behavior was with Emma.

"Will you stop acting like a crazy person, people are staring." Maxie warned, her eyes darting around the room at the curious glances we were receiving.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I remembered being on the opposite end of this conversation, except I was a teenager scared to death of possibly being a mother. Of course Maxie's situation was different since she was in love and on the verge of being married, but an unplanned pregnancy in any aspect - as I assumed this was - always held some anxiety.

Maxie went to the bar and brought me a bottle of water.

"I'm sorry, but you kind of threw that one from left field." Trying to regain my composure I took the water gratefully, draining the small bottle. "How umm… how far are you?"

"I never said I was, I just said I might be since I'm a few days late." She corrected as if that was supposed to make such a major difference. If she was concerned enough not to be drinking then I was willing to bet she already knew in her heart she was pregnant and simply not ready to admit.

Given Maxie's surprisingly calm and nonchalant approach to this, I took a different angle. "Ok, well let's not jump to conclusions. How long has it been?"

"By now," Her mind wondered for a moment doing the mental math. "only 15 days."

"Maxie!" For the second time in 20 minutes she sent my head spinning and the color drained from my face. Better than anyone I understood wanting to be in denial about a pregnancy, but 15 days late and weight gain was like a big neon sign signaling PREGNANT. "You need to take a test or go see a doctor."

"I didn't actually realize how late I was until we were sending out the invitations for the party and I saw the date, so then I thought maybe I'd wait a few more days and see what happened."

I sank my head in my hands slowly, knowing this was the calm before the storm. Once the reality of what was happening sank in, the blasé attitude would be replaced with either a very happy Maxie or a very on edge Maxie. For her and Johnny's sake I hoped it was the former.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

A short drive later we were parked across the street from the pharmacy; neither of us moving or speaking. If not for the random songs playing on the radio, the silence along with being on a relatively dark, scantly populated street would be borderline creepy.

My quietness was because I did not want to antagonize Maxie. This was happening to her so as much as I wanted to be supportive I still needed to give her the space to go about dealing with it in her own way, even if it meant indulging in denial for a while. It was one thing to suspect being pregnant, but it was something completely different to see the positive in the test staring back at you. After that there was no more denial.

"I can't go in there." She finally spoke so quietly that I almost did not hear her. "What if someone recognizes me and it gets back to Mac, or Robin, or even Johnny." _So much for the calm Maxie._"You go."

My head swirled in her direction: wide eyed, ready to flat out refuse, but the uneasiness etched on her face made me soften. "Fine." There was no harm in helping a friend during a time of need, and I liked to think if the roles were reversed she would do the same for me.

I got out the car, quickly looked left and right, and then crossed the street into the pharmacy where I made a beeline for the personal care aisle. Standing in front of the different brands of tests, a wave of nostalgia hit me forcing me to remember one of the worst moments in my life. Barely 18 standing in an aisle almost identical to this for what seemed like forever, wishing, pleading, praying I could take back that night. I was making deals and promises to God and the universe that I would change and stop being a pain in the ass to everyone around me if this would all just go way. But it did not go away, at least not without having to make a life changing choice.

After taking one of the tests from the shelf, I picked up a few other items then headed for the checkout line with my arms almost full. This was a moment where I wished there was a self check out because even though I was a grown woman and technically doing a friend a favor, I still had that feeling of being watched and judged because I had a pregnancy test. Once again the memories came back and I remembered having to endure the silent judgments from the middle aged cashier who took one look at my youthful face and ring-less finger then shook her head with disdain. Given the state of panic I was in at the time, it took everything in me not to burst into tears that night.

Moving closer to the checkout station I emptied the goods onto the short conveyer belt and waited patiently for the lady before me to pay for her items.

"Lulu, I thought that was you." Greeted a familiar voice from behind me.

_'No, No, No, please God not today, not now.' _I pleaded silently hoping by some miracle my ears were playing tricks on me. Slowly I turned around and plastered a smile on my face while my heart pounded forcefully as if it were about to drum straight through my chest."Hi Olivia." I responded, hoping my voice did not sound as shaky to her as it did to me. _Why me!_

My mother in law engulfed me in a hug as only she could. Even though she was a petite woman, I could feel myself sway in her hold mostly because I was so nervous I thought my legs would give out. She held my arms giving me a once over in a maternal way that made it impossible to hate her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, everything's fine." I assured with the same fake smile that had not left my face since I saw her.

Olivia's eyes dropped to the conveyer belt, then back to me and I leaned my head to the right as casually as possible, eager to obstruct her line of sight. _Please don't let her see anything. _I could tell her it was for a friend but people hardly ever believed the 'for a friend' line.

The seconds ticked by, feeling like forever as I counted off each barcode being scanned and simultaneously engaging Olivia in distracting conversation. I had seven items total and so far there were five beeps; hopefully the pregnancy test was one of those five and safely in a bag by now.

"I know you and Dante aren't on the best terms so feel free to tell me if I'm overstepping my bounds here, but if there's anything you want to talk about I'm a good listener." She offered with genuine concern.

When the last beep was heard I glanced at the total then handed over the money quickly. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine, really." There would only be a few cents left in change so I didn't bother to wait for it and grabbed the 2 bags. "It was nice seeing you. Have a good night."

It appeared that Olivia was about to say something else but I was out the door before the words were spoken. I made a mental note to apologize sometime soon for my brusque behavior, especially since she had been nothing but nice to me from the moment Dante and I were married. _The things I did for a friend_.

**Johnny's POV**

From around the corner I watched Kelly's entrance waiting patiently for just the right moment to make my presence known. Dante and Lulu's lives had gone haywire ever since Brooke-Lynn set foot in town, and whether Maxie's assumptions that the newcomer had been scheming to ruin our lives were true or not, I was not going to get any peace from her until someone figured out what the stealthy brunette was up to. Dante swore up and down Brooke-Lynn would never lie to him, and it was a lost cause for Maxie and Lulu to try to get anything out of her, so that left me to find a solution. Maybe then things could go back to normal.

I had people following Brooke-Lynn, tracking her daily movements hoping to find something incriminating but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Tonight the surveillance led me to Kelly's half an hour ago where she was still at a table having coffee; therefore I decided to take a more hands on approach.

Finally when she left the diner, I also exited my hiding place walking directly towards her with my head down, seemingly too engrossed in my phone to pay attention. We collided seconds later, causing her to drop her purse and a small styrofoam container.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" I immediately apologized, bending to pick up her things.

Her face initially screwed in irritation, but once she realized it was me her expression tempered to an understanding smile. "I'm fine, no apology necessary." I handed her the purse but held on to the Styrofoam container that now had what looked to be half a slice of pie hanging out of it and the other half on the ground. "My pie wasn't that lucky though."

"Yeah it's done for." I agreed with a chuckle, tossing the container in a nearby trashcan. "I can't have you going home without desert because of me so let me buy you another slice." The offer came with me flashing her the most charming smile I had, and it did not take long for her to nod in agreement.

This was going ten times better than planned. I was only looking for an excuse to run into her just to establish some sort of contact, but the crushed pie was the perfect excuse for a short, casual conversation. Brooke-Lynn did not strike me as a dumb girl so I did not want to be too friendly too fast; that would have been cause for suspicion.

We walked the short distance back into Kelly's and took a seat at the counter where a waitress asked our order. "Ladies first." I motioned towards her, hoping to earn extra points into her good graces.

Brooke's smile brightened as she asked for a slice of blueberry pie to go, and I declined anything. There was the slightest bit of guilt surfacing that if Maxie and Lulu were wrong about Brooke-Lynn then I was toying with someone's feelings for nothing. I was far from a saint but that did not mean I enjoyed using women to my advantage for sport; that was Anthony's thing not mine. Then there was the possibility if Brooke-Lynn found out I was playing her that would create a whole new set of problems. But Maxie was the queen of schemes so I figured she should at least have a sixth sense about these things. For the sake of keeping the peace, I hoped she was not wrong

**Maxie's POV - Apartment**

PREGNANT on the tiny digital slot stared at me while I tried to register the word and what the next 9 months meant: no sushi, no cocktails, no clubbing until the wee hours of the morning, no more being a size 2, and worst of all no more being able to fit into the gorgeous gowns some of the designers would occasionally let us keep. I was not sad, but happy was not the first word to come to mind either. It was more like I could deal with it. Not the most maternal thought to have, but it was how I felt for now.

When I finally left the bathroom, Lulu stared at me expectantly waiting to hear the verdict. "Federico better be willing to make maternity clothes because I refuse to go to any upcoming Crimson event in those frumpy tent dresses."

A huge grin appeared on her face. "You're pregnant!" She squealed in delight and gave me a big hug. I returned the gesture with far less luster than she gave it, causing her to pull back and look at me with concern. "This is a good thing right?"

Sitting on the couch I shrugged at a loss for a definite answer. Johnny and I had never talked about having children. Our relationship was so unplanned and constantly moving that it never came up. Some would describe what we had as dysfunctional, unhealthy even, but it worked for us because Johnny and I had seen and heard the worst of what the other was capable of and it did not matter. There was no pressure to be the perfect pillars of virtue and morality; instead we were sometimes messy, scheming and downright volatile. What others saw as dysfunction we saw as acceptance without judgment; and isn't that what everyone hoped to find in life: someone to love them unconditionally for who they were.

"I hope so. It's not like we live the most conventional lives or had shining examples of parenthood. I'm a workaholic and Johnny…" I paused not wanting to say 'is a career criminal' out loud. "… Is Johnny." Was all I said instead, but Lulu knew what I was getting at.

"It will all work out." Lulu assured with a confident nod then took a seat next to me with her legs stretched out on the table. For the most part I believed her, but there was that trace of doubt because I had no idea what was going to happen once I told Johnny. Not that I thought he would leave me, but a baby would definitely equal change.

There was nothing I could do about the situation now since Johnny was off God knows where doing God knows what. When I called him earlier he was working on something and neglected to give me the details which usually meant it was something illegal, so I left it alone. Tonight I would relax with my best friend and tomorrow deal with the rest.

"Is it too early for cravings because I seriously could use some apple pie with chocolate ice cream." I inquired with a straight face.

Lulu laughed at my request, and even I started laughing at how random that was. "Yeah you definitely are pregnant."

**Lulu's POV**

Maxie kept going on and on and on about the apple pie and ice cream so I gave in only because technically according to her "it was for my future godchild". A guilt trip I was pretty sure she would be using on me for the duration of her pregnancy, hell for the rest of this kid's life.

I walked into Kelly's and stopped in the center of the eatery, surprised to see Johnny in depth in conversation with Brooke-Lynn. It never ceased to amaze me that someone who claimed to dislike me and Maxie so much was trying so hard to infiltrate our lives. Not caring that I was in public, I stormed up to the pair determined to give that parasite a piece of my mind. "Don't you have any shame? You keep jumping back and forth trying to ruin me and Maxie's relationships."

Brooke swerved in her chair to face me with a too smug smile that only got further under my skin. "Last time I heard you didn't have a relationship. Actually I'm surprised Dante hasn't divorced you already."

I made a step towards her but Johnny grabbed my arm and led me away before I could do anything stupid. Rationally, the best thing would have been to ignore and go about my business, but that woman constantly brought out the worst in me.

"You need to calm down." Johnny told me once we were outside and the door had closed behind us.

"Seriously Johnny?" My mouth opened incredulously that I was being scolded for mainly defending myself. "Don't' tell me you believe her 'I just want to be a really good friend to you' act? She's evil." Thankfully Maxie was not here to see this because she would have hit the roof, and that was the last thing she needed given her condition.

"Don't worry I know what I'm doing."

Johnny gave me a warning look then went back inside and resumed his seat next to Brooke-Lynn. _What the hell is going on here?_ First Dante and now Johnny; I felt like I was in the twilight zone or some alternate universe where everything that happened in and around my life somehow involved Brooke-Lynn. The thought made me dislike her more.

Determined to not to let her think she had won this round, I marched into Kelly's right past her, head held high and paid for the slices of pie. Every so often during her conversation with Johnny she would glance in my direction with a haughty smirk, and it took every ounce of will in me not to grab her by the hair and pull it out piece by piece.

The waitress finally handed me the box with my order and before I left, I made sure to get in one last verbal blow. "Careful when you hang around bitches Johnny, you might get fleas."

**Dante's POV – September 2****nd**

When my mother realized Lulu and I were no longer in marital bliss she had been not so subtly asking what the problem was, but pride alone would not let me reveal I thought she was sleeping with Johnny Zacchara. Once that assumption proved to be false, it was even harder for me to tell the truth. In the past week she had been calling relentlessly but I either ignored her calls or told her I was busy and promised to call her later. Later never came and I was starting to feel guilty for not only ignoring my mother but lying to her for all this time. If Lulu managed to tell Maxie then I could tell my mother; it was not a big difference. _Except Ma would read me the riot act for marrying because of money; not to mention what Nona would say if she found out._ The residents of Port Charles were used to lying, scheming and treachery. I was not raised to be that way, yet I fell in line with the deception as naturally as breathing.

Things could not get much more complicated between Lulu and I, and I had no idea if it was going to get better so I decided to tell my mother the whole truth. She would be disappointed but at least I would be able to get it off my chest.

I went to her place and knocked hoping that she was not home so I could put this off a little longer, but it did not take long for her to open the door. With a hand on her hip Olivia Falconari leaned against the door frame watching me the way she used to whenever I did something wrong. "Well it's about time! I gave birth to you, the least you could do is return my calls."

"Sorry Ma, I've had a lot on my plate lately." I apologized sincerely with sheepish grin.

"Uh huh, I bet." She moved from the entryway and allowed me inside. "You hungry, I just made dinner."

"No thanks, I actually came here to talk to you."

Both her eyebrows raised in question. "Wow you're refusing my cooking, this must be serious."

My mother's cooking was fantastic, and any other moment I would have taken her up on the offer but my stomach was in knots at what I was about to say. "It's about me and Lulu. I probably should have told you this from the beginning, but I didn't exactly know how. Lulu and I didn't really plan for this to happen."

Out of nowhere she hugged me, but not a normal hug; it was one of those hugs that came from knowing I was safe or to reassure me. Then things got even stranger when she placed her palms on either side of my cheeks, with a look like she was going to cry at any moment. "Honey some of the best things in life are unplanned, you're living proof of that. Trust me, once the shock wears off and you two work things out, you're going to fall completely in love with the baby."

"Baby?" I took her hands from my face, stupefied at what she was talking about, and then I remembered my grandmother who was still on my case about making her a great grandmother. "Did Nona put you up to this?" Every time we spoke, the older woman who had helped raise me had no shame in inquiring when Lulu and I were going to have babies – not a baby but babies- because she was not satisfied with just one. Little did she know Lulu and I had absolutely no interest in becoming parents in the foreseeable future whether it turned out to be together or with other people.

It was my mother's turn to be confused. "So Lulu's _not _pregnant." She asked with strains of uncertainty mixed with tinges of disappointment surrounding the word 'not'.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head in the negative. _Great Nona had gotten to her. _It seemed that my mother had jumped on the baby bandwagon so it made telling her the truth that much harder_. _"Don't look so disappointed. Last time I checked you were in no hurry to be a Nona." I reminded her at how she had turned ghostly white at the mere mention of the word. In her opinion she was way too young for anyone to be calling her Grandma, Nona, Nana or anything synonymous with the meaning.

"I know but I saw Lulu the other day, then you weren't answering any of my calls, and now you come in here talking about the both of you not planning for something so I just thought I was going to be a grandma." She threw her hands in the air in typical animated fashion as she always had the tendency to do whenever she was getting fired up about something.

In all of her ramblings the only thing that caught my attention was the mention that she had seen Lulu. Olivia Falconari was not the most tactful when it came to boundaries and if she could not get answers out of me, I would not put it past her to go to Lulu. They were both strong headed women so there was no telling how that conversation went.

"You saw Lulu? Did you guys get into it?" I practically demanded to know.

My mother brushed me off with the wave of a hand as if the thought of her and Lulu arguing was absurd. "No, nothing like that. I just thought…" She paused in the middle of her sentence, seemingly deep in thought, then shook her head as if to clear away a memory or strange notion. "Are you sure you don't want something to eat?" And just like that she went off into the kitchen without another word of the previous subject.

"Ma!" I yelled following her knowing this was an avoidance tactic. As well as she knew me I knew her just the same.

I met her bustling in the kitchen pulling out plates, glasses and forks the same way I had seen her doing for years growing up. "I tried out this new recipe I found in a magazine but kind of tweaked it a bit, and it came out pretty good."

"Mom."

"I know you hate carrots but you can pick them out." She went on, sharing some of the food in a plate and handing it to me. It did look good - some kind of stir fry something I presumed – but I placed it on the island, more interested in what she and Lulu talked about rather than food.

"MOM!"

"HEY!" Her head finally turned in my direction glowering at me. "Don't raise your voice. You may be grown but I'm still your mother."

"Sorry, but will you tell me what happened with Lulu?" I asked nicely, subduing my voice to a respectful tone.

There were wine glasses in front of us but instead of halving the glasses as my mother usually did she filled mine to the top and pushed it towards me. _This can't be good._ Having learned my lesson about raising my voice, I waited patiently for her to confess whatever was going to make me need this glass full of wine.

"A few days ago I ran into Lulu. We were talking and I THOUGHT – do you hear me Dante THOUGHT," She stressed. "she bought a pregnancy test."

The place had gone quiet, so quiet that I could hear myself breathing; or maybe it was my mother breathing. I waited to hear the rest of it, the upside that would make me breathe a sigh of relief, but it never came. I guess the idea that my mother only _thought_ she saw it was supposed to make me feel better, instead it added further uncertainty to the problem. Actually, was there even a problem? Even if Lulu did buy a pregnancy test that did not guarantee she was actually pregnant. It could have been a false alarm; it could have been for a friend. Even though we were not on the best of terms she would not keep something as big as being pregnant from me. It was not like she would have an ….

The unfinished thought left a chill in my soul, extending outwards to make my hair stand on end. Even though I had no desire to be a father now, the alternative was definitely not an option. "Did you ask her about it?"

"Of course not! I didn't want to embarrass her so I just asked if she wanted to talk about anything and she said she was fine." The one time I needed her to meddle and be nosy, she decided to be demure.

Placing the glass to my mouth, I downed the wine to the last drop and went back to the living room.

"Honey don't ambush her." My mother pleaded catching up to me. "Forget I mentioned anything. Like I said it was obviously a mistake; there were a bunch of stuff on the checkout belt and it could have belonged to someone else." She did not believe that anymore than I did, but I appreciated the valiant effort of trying to convince me.

"We'll talk Ma. I love you." I kissed her on the cheek and shut the door to the sound of her calling my name.

**Comment, Comment, Comment! Good bad or indifferent.**

**Lots of love till next time.  
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	28. One Night To be Confused

**Hi everyone, it's been a long time but i finally managed to get this done. I want to say thank you to everyone who sent me msgs about this story and asked if i was going to finish it. Rest assured i most definitely am, it may just take me some time so i am asking for you to bear with me and my looney tunes mind. Hopefully people are still interested in this and it was worth the wait :)**

**28 – One Night To Be Confused**

**September 3****rd**** - Dante's POV **

_One night to be confused_

_One night to speed up truth…_

Sleep never found me; in fact I had spent most of the night driving in circles around Lulu's neighborhood. I had made it as far as her door, poised to confront her about possibly being pregnant but my mother's warning about not ambushing her kept me from knocking. The previous mistake about Lulu and Johnny had left a terrible stain on our relationship, so the last thing I wanted was to make another assumption that would likely be the final nail in the coffin.

When I finally went home it was about 3:00 A.M and my mind was consumed with thoughts of whether I was going to be a father or not. On one hand I definitely did want children, and of all the women I dated Lulu was definitely at the top of the list as future mother of my children, but having them now was definitely not a part of the plan. Doing the mental math I concluded that she could not be that far along and the baby would be born sometime in May or early June. In theory we should be divorced by then.

Realizing the spiral my mind was creating I tried to shake away the obsessive thoughts and think rationally. We were usually careful, so the chances of Lulu getting pregnant the random time we were negligent was slim to none… at least that was what I told myself while trying to push away the sudden reminder of all those high school talks about abstinence and 'it only takes one time'. Unfortunately, ignoring my conscience did not help me to sleep and I watched the minutes tick by, waiting for the first sign of daylight so I could go see Lulu. This was not a conversation I wanted to have over the phone.

**Lulu's POV**

Mornings were not my favorite time of day. The sun had barely been in the sky for an hour, yet I was up and already at work. Maxie and I had a few last minute details to take care of at Crimson and around town, then we had to go to the party venue early to make sure everything was set up the way it was supposed to be. Undoubtedly it was going to be a long day and night so we had to start getting things done as early as possible.

Maxie had called a few minutes ago to say she was almost here, and I could only hope her being late was because she had finally told Johnny she was pregnant. Even after a few days she still had not quite wrapped her head around the situation and was avoiding it at every turn. Each day she swore to tell Johnny, then would find reasons not to and promised to do it tomorrow. Tomorrow still had not come. Luckily morning sickness was not one of her symptoms therefore no one would be the wiser for the time being, but she still needed to take care of herself so I threatened to tell Johnny if she did not at least make a doctor's appointment. I would never have actually told him, but the bluff got her to make the appointment so I was satisfied.

The ding of the elevator made me swivel my chair towards the sound and I watched my best friend step into the main office in a summery yellow wrap dress, with light blue pumps that looked to be at least four and a half inches high. She was nowhere near showing, but the few extra pounds had gone to the right places making her seem even more alluring. If there was one thing I could bet on was that Maxie would make pregnancy look fabulous.

I raised an eyebrow in silent question, looking at her expectantly as I had done every morning for the past days.

"Tomorrow I promise." She answered as usual, dropping her purse on the desk and sitting down just as I got up.

I rolled my eyes, musing to myself that at this rate when she was nine months pregnant and about to pop she would still be saying tomorrow. But who was I to judge because if the situation was reversed I would have a hard time telling Dante as well. "If I don't see you here when I get back, I'll meet you at the party."

Maxie nodded and went about handling things at the Crimson office, while I left to take care of last minute details.

~#~

Outside was a lot brighter and busier than I had left it, with people now bustling in the summer heat to get to work and start their day. I walked to the cafe around the corner hoping to get an espresso that would make me more energized, when a small mannequin display caught my eye. It was a turquoise pleated dress with brown flowers and a brown band tied around the waist into a bow, paired with tiny turquoise and gold flats, and accessorized with the same colored headband. The style was adorably girly, but the colors allowed a fashionable charm that would have been lost if the dress was pink or some other overly feminine color. The other displays in the window were very cute as well - things Maxie would definitely love - and even though it was way too early to be buying baby gifts there was no harm in taking peek so I knew what to get when the shower rolled around.

Pulling the door to the store, I immediately melted into a puddle of 'awws' and 'how cute' when I saw all the baby clothes and accessories. There was just something about baby stores that could make even the most child averse women think of what it would be like to be a mother, if only for a split second. I picked up a blanket that resembled a quilt with different patchworks of pastel colors, and it was so soft I could not stop running my fingers across the fabric.

"That's one of our best sellers, perfect for a boy or girl." A voice said from behind me.

I removed my hand from the blanket and turned to the origin: a tall woman who looked to be in her 50's with pale green eyes, and strawberry blonde hair highlighted with streaks of grey.

"I was just looking." I confessed, still enamored by all the baby things. What I loved about the clothes and accessories here were that they were fashionable, yet still had a whimsical childlike look without being overbearing of traditional pinks and blues. "You have a great store."

She smiled appreciatively. "A lot of moms now prefer trendy and comfortable rather than frills and lace. Especially the younger ones like you."

"Oh no, I'm looking for a friend." I quickly clarified, startled at being mistakenly referred to as a mother. Sometime in the distant, distant, distant future if I found the right man and it was the right time I would love to have children, but at this point of my life I could not imagine having another human being completely dependent on me. Just the thought of it was completely overwhelming and terrifying. "It's probably too early to even be thinking of gifts, but I saw the dress in the window and couldn't help myself."

The lady laughed and waved away my comment with a swirl of her wrist. "It's never too early for gifts, especially for babies, they're here before you know it." She moved around the space with familiarity that could only be gained from spending hours here, and stopped in front of a wall with rows of shelves. "I take it you don't know if it's a boy or girl so I would do onsies for now; they're a staple to every baby's wardrobe."

There was an entire wall full of onesies to choose from: some in solid colors, others with multicolor, patterns and words written on them. A white one with purple letters that read 'Mommy's Diva, Daddy's Princess' caught my eye because it was so Maxie and Johnny. I imagined any daughter of theirs would unquestionably be those things and more. There was always a chance the baby could be a boy, but it was too cute to pass up so I took I as a sign that maybe the baby would be a girl. "I'll take this one."

**Apartment**

This morning I was determined to not be late for the party, yet it was almost seven and I was nowhere near dressed. I quickly opened the door, mentally calculating that I had 45 minutes to shower, do my hair, makeup and get dressed. Who was I kidding? For me that would be impossible and I was undoubtedly going to be late. At least I had the forethought to stop for a late lunch so I did not have to worry about finding something to eat now.

Heading to my bedroom, Maxie's door was ajar and I peeked inside to see her standing in front of a full length mirror dressed in a short purple one shoulder dress. She looked beautiful but there was something off about the reflection staring intently back it her. It was only when Maxie turned to the side I noticed the round bulge protruding from her stomach, obviously caused by a pillow or cushion. I smiled finding it sweet that she wanted to see the physical changes that would take place in a few months. The image was beautiful despite her deep seeded fears of no longer being attractive, yet there was everything but happiness or contentment in the face of this usually vivacious woman.

"If this is how you plan on telling Johnny, you get points for shock value and creativity." I joked, finally making my presence known and walking into the room.

Lost in the mirror image that was her yet still not quite her, Maxie rubbed her pretend belly for a moment then pulled the mini pillow from beneath the dress and tossed it on the bed. With a heavy sigh and an even heavier heart, she smoothed out any wrinkles that may have formed and secured a black belt around her waist. "Maybe there won't be anything to tell."

**Maxie's POV**

It might be so easy to make this go away without Johnny being the wiser. A quick trip to a hospital in another town, or even in the city and all the anxiety of weight gain, stretch marks, swollen ankles, crazy cravings and hormonal mood swings would disappear. Johnny and I could continue to enjoy our lives and each other until we actually planned to have children; if we even wanted children. Days like this where my day did not follow the normal hours of work were more proof that my life was not suitable for children; not to mention I knew absolutely nothing about taking care of a baby full time.

Lulu stood about a foot behind me watching with concern through our reflections in the mirror. "Did something happen?" She asked unsure.

I wanted to scream yes something happened: I'm pregnant and still not sure that I want to be. I thought I could handle this; that after some time of letting the idea sink in I would feel less torn, but it had not happened yet and I was worried it never would.

"You know I've never had a pet… well I never actually wanted one 'cuz I always thought it was too much work, but Georgie did. She would have been good with a pet; taking care of it and all that." Lulu sat on the edge of the bed listening intently, making no judgments while I continued to talk. "When my mom and dad left, Mac hovered around me and Georgie trying to make it okay for us. Georgie was the smart one, the good girl, so Mac didn't have to worry much about her, but I acted out all the time and Georgie would cover for me and take care of me, especially if I came home wasted. Robin was practically perfect, always there to listen and give big sister advice even if I didn't listen. In my entire life I've never had to take care of, or protect anyone; I was the one who everyone felt the need to protect. They make it seem like it's only because of my heart but I know it's because I'm such a mess. How am I supposed to be responsible for a baby? What if I forget to feed it, or I leave it somewhere, or worse if I disappear like my mom and dad?"

I was not looking for sympathy or trying to be difficult, I was just very overwhelmed. The more time passed it was one step closer to me having to tell Johnny and actually having this baby. The thought terrified me because I knew like it or not everything would change.

Lulu pulled me by the arm to sit next to her, and I dropped onto the bed with a dramatic huff. "I think this pregnancy has completely scrambled your brain because you take care of a lot of people." My eyes rolled in a 'yeah right' manner but I did not comment. "Remember when I was in Shadybrook? We were barely on civil terms and you could have easily said I was the one who killed Logan but you covered for me. I've seen you babysit Emma dozens of times and you never once ignored her or left her alone, you make sure she's always safe. When Lisa was trying to ruin Patrick and Robin's marriage, you did everything you could to make sure that didn't happen. You're constantly trying to set up Mac because you want him to find the happiness that you and Robin have. And don't get me started on Johnny; you're so good for him, better than me or anyone else could be."

"But…"

She cut me off instantly. "But nothing! Face it Maxie, you're a good person, deal with it." Then her voice calmed and I knew she was just trying to help. "Whatever you choose I'll support you but don't make a decision thinking you're not good enough, because the truth is no mom is perfect."

I imagined to Lulu I must have sounded like the most ungrateful and selfish person in the world for considering not having this baby, but she never passed a word of judgment. Instead my best friend engulfed me in a hug, and I sat there for a moment resting my head against her shoulder grateful for the comfort. "If I do this don't let me screw it up okay?" I pleaded quietly, knowing that I would need all the help I could get over the next few months.

"You have nothing to worry about. This kid is going to have two awesome parents, an overprotective great uncle, a brilliant, kind cousin, a guardian angel aunt and a[i]_VERY_[/i] cool godmother."

"The best godmother... Who loves to babysit." I added playfully.

We pulled away laughing and she nudged me lightly on the shoulder before getting off the bed. "You should go to the party before Kate fires us both. We're bordering late and I still need to get dressed."

I nodded as Lulu took off down the hallway to get ready.

~#~

After taking one last look in the mirror to make sure everything was flawless, I slipped on a pair of black pumps and picked out a black clutch to match. If I was going to be pregnant, the least I could do was be fashionable about it. Too many people used pregnancy as an excuse to let themselves go and I refused to be anything but fabulous.

Just as I was about to leave there was an impatient, constant knocking at the door. Whoever it was would not stop so I quickly went to see who it was before the neighbors down the hall decided to complain. When I opened the door a breathless Dante sidestepped me before I had the chance to invite him inside. If I did not know better I would swear he was on something. Dante's usual even olive complexion was tinged with red, his eyes shifted all around the room as if he was expecting something or someone to jump out at him, and his voice was laced with frustration. Normally I could care less about this man, but I tried to be somewhat tolerant for Lulu's sake. "What did you do this time?"

**Dante's POV**

The universe had to have been working against me. I had been trying to contact Lulu all day and could not find her. When I came to the apartment this morning no one was home, I tried calling her cell and work numbers all day but she did not pick up either one. I knew that I promised her time and space but this was important; I needed to know if I was going to be a father or at least stop her from not making me a father.

When the door finally opened I was hoping it would be Lulu on the other side, but Maxie greeted me instead looking less than happy at my presence. "I need to see Lulu." I said walking past her without being invited.

Maxie spun on her heel, shutting the door loudly as if to make her irritation more obvious. "She's in the shower."

I refused to be deterred and sat on the couch where a combination of lack of sleep and nerves had me fidgeting uncontrollably. I could only imagine how unstable I appeared, especially when her arms folded, glaring at me suspiciously. "Are you on something, 'cuz you're acting crazy?"

"I just want to see Lulu!" I snapped out of building aggravation. The more I said and did, the deeper I seemed to be digging myself into a bottomless pit. Although I did not care very much about Maxie's opinions, I knew Lulu would not react well to me constantly fighting with her best friend.

Before I could say another word Lulu came from the hallway wrapped in a towel, skin still damp from her shower. "What's the yelling about?"

My eyes raked over her body trying to find some tell tale sign that could confirm or deny my mother's suspicions, but rationally I knew there was no way to find out except to ask. Still I could not take my eyes off her. As she came closer the droplets of water on her skin became visible and I became entranced by the trail they made from her neck, down her shoulders and chest, disappearing into the blue fluffy towel. Every nerve in my body ached to touch her; to feel those familiar curves and softness that I could not forget no matter how much I tried.

Finally I found my voice, trying not to sound as desperate as I felt. "Can we talk?"

She glanced at Maxie and motioned for her to give us a moment, but Maxie did not move. "I'm not going anywhere. He's acting weird and you know you're track record with men going psycho after you leave them."

I scoffed at the insinuation and glared at Maxie, but she held her ground glaring right back just as harshly. The comment made me momentarily wonder what she meant by men going psycho after Lulu left them, but that was a question for another time.

Lulu's palms rested gently against my chest and she maneuvered me out the door from Maxie's critical eyes. I lost focus once again studying the familiarity her touch brought about. It was a heat that constantly sent my head spinning and could not be any more profound if she were touching my bare skin. "Can we talk later tonight? You're coming to the party right?" She asked with her hands still on me. I doubted it was intentional but it still had an overwhelming effect, forcing me to channel all of my self control into not tugging away the towel and seeing for myself exactly where those droplets of water stopped.

"Lulu…" I started, wanting to get this over with but her fingers flexed slightly gripping my shirt. Glancing at the trivial gesture I remembered a time when we would lay around arbitrarily tracing our fingers over each other's bodies, enjoying the comfort of silence and togetherness. There was no drama or complications; things were just simpler then. Would we ever have that again? _Could_ we ever have that again?

Finally realizing how close she was, Lulu moved her hands away quickly and took a step back. "We'll talk tonight." She promised giving a small parting smile, then disappeared into the apartment.

The party had slipped my mind, but I had no other choice but to show up if I wanted to find out what was happening. I had waited all day for answers; what were a few more hours.

**Johnny's POV – Seven Deadly Sins Party**

Stepping into "The Confessional" - as the four level mansion was effectually dubbed for the night - the Seven Deadly Sins Party made you feel like you had entered into a hedonistic playground of earthly vices. At the door patrons were greeted by a woman dressed in a long, white and gold, form fitting dress that made her look like a Grecian goddess. The sides of the dress were exposed from beneath her breast to the floor, with a band of gold covering just enough of her hips to allow her to wear underwear. She handed you 4''x 6'' card that looked similar to the invitation, but instead it pointed out the various forms of penance that was offered for each sin; in this case the penance was indulgence.

The ground floor was the central location which comprised of a ball room mainly used as a dance floor, along with a main bar, D.J, waiters and waitresses dressed in white and gold, serving champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Whenever you felt the need to be "repentant" for your sins, each room upstairs offered excess.

Walking up the winding staircase to the upper floors, the first stop was gluttony. The hostess appropriately dressed in orange welcomed you into a sweet lover's paradise. There were all different types and flavors of desserts: candy, pies, cakes, cookies, ice cream and even a chocolate fountain. A few minutes in this room and a person was sure to succumb to a diabetic coma. Sloth was a cozy space with soft lighting and tranquil music where 2 male and 2 female hosts, dressed in blue, offered relaxing 20 minute massages. Pride I was pretty sure was Maxie's handy work. It was set up like a Hollywood red carpet backdrop where a professional photographer would take you picture – Photoshop it at your request if there were flaws you wished to hide – then print an 8'' x 10'' portrait. The greed room was a casino where you could actually gamble and win or lose money. There was blackjack, poker, Russian roulette and two slot machines; the basics of a gambler's paradise.

The next set of stairs led to the other three rooms. Envy was like a church confessional where you could confess the things or people you desired most. There was an audio recorder set up so that every confession was taped, then sometime during the night the confessions would be played back for everyone to hear. No names or faces would be divulged, just voices. Anger was the place to take out your aggression. The walls were blood red pulsating with heart thumping music, and dartboards were set up where you could attach a name or even a picture of the person you disliked to reign darts to your amusement. You could also make a voodoo doll of the person you hated and take it to the hostess claiming to be a voodoo priestess and she would help you to put a curse on them. It was all for show of course; just for fun as a way to help someone release their wrath. The final and largest room was lust. Dimly lit with candlelight, sectional type chairs wrapped around the entire space, and black and crimson silk adorned the walls. Strategically placed shelves held bowls of feathers, lace and scarves, adding to the creativity of those who brought in deserts from the gluttony room. Seductive music seemed to be coming from everywhere fueling sexual temptation and entrancing the occupants into sensual dances and heated make out sessions.

Needless to say Maxie and Lulu had outdone themselves, and I had no doubt this party would be talked about for a while.

On my way back to the main floor, I stopped at the end of the staircase taking sight of Brook-Lynn in a knee length sparkling black dress with a neckline that dipped almost to her belly button. My eyebrows rose in surprise not only at the shock value her outfit offered, but also that she had been invited. Maxie and Lulu could not stand Brook-Lynn so I figured she would have been conveniently excluded from the guest list. Thinking of those two, I scanned the room hoping they were nowhere nearby and instead saw Dante at the entrance. He was insignificant to me at the moment since I was more concerned about the trouble that could arise from these three women in the same room. Tonight was not the time or place, but Port Charles parties were never known to go as planned.

The crowd was a dense rainbow of party-goers so it took a while before I spotted Maxie and Lulu talking near the dance floor, likely oblivious to their enemy's presence. Maybe I could keep it that way for a moment, or at least until they dispersed into the crowd. "Wow! You really went all out." I commented to Brooke looking her up and down. If I was going to get anything meaningful out of her I would have to continue being nice in hopes of building some sort of faux friendship, or at least gaining her trust.

She flipped the wave of dark curls across her shoulder and curved her blood red lips slyly. "Well, lust seems to be getting me into a lot of trouble the last few months." Then pointed to my black dress shirt and slacks. "And from the looks of it you too. We could serve our penance together; or would that just get us into even more trouble?"

Playing the game, I flashed a similar devious smile and grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter, handing her one. "Something tells me you wouldn't have a problem with trouble."

She shrugged nonchalantly and downed the champagne in one fluid motion. Next, with slow deliberate movements she placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned in so close that her lips grazed my earlobe undoubtedly leaving a stain. "Well tonight _is_ all about sins." Her voice cooed with irrefutable want and a lingering look before sliding her hand down my arm into my palm and pulling me back upstairs with her.

**Lulu's POV**

If Maxie stared any harder into the back of Brooke-Lynn's head there would be permanent holes in the shape of her eyes. The moment Maxie spotted her she watched the interaction between her and Johnny with building fury. If we had our way Brooke-Lynn would have been conveniently forgotten from the guest list, but Kate insisted we put our personal feelings aside all in the name of business and professionalism. She was a Quartermaine and that alone warranted her an invite to the hottest party in town.

Brooke of course exploited any opportunity possible to get under our skins and wasted no time working to entrap Johnny into her web. She led him upstairs for God knows what, and it was shameless how this woman had no regard for who she hurt, as long as Brooke-Lynn's world was perfect. As much as I hated her, a small part of me could empathize because there was a time I was that selfish. My only hope was that no one got hurt more than we all already had been.

Maxie on the other hand was not taking Brooke's presence - plus the fact she was hanging all over Johnny - well. "Leave it alone." I warned my best friend, knowing that look could bring nothing but trouble.

"That… that… ," She huffed an aggravated breath searching for the appropriate word. "man stealer took my fiancé upstairs, and I guarantee it wasn't to one of the second floor rooms."

"You have nothing to worry about."

Maxie immediately eyed me suspiciously since it wasn't like me to be this relaxed about Brooke-Lynn. "What aren't you telling me?"

I shrugged from being just as much in the dark as she was. "I don't know the details but he's up to something with her. We're just going to have to wait to find out." Yes I hated and distrusted Brooke-Lynn with every nerve in my body but I had faith that Johnny loved Maxie more than life; so whatever he was doing had to be important if he was willing to risk her wrath.

Before I could say another word a hand rested on my lower back, and the scent of soap mixed with traces of familiar cologne loomed around me. I did not have to see Dante to realize his presence; it was just automatic – like my body was completely attuned to his aura.

"Hi ladies." His fingers slightly pressed into the fabric as he greeted Maxie with civil nod, to which she responded with a curt smile.

Now standing next to me, his hand stayed comfortably at that spot as if we were a normal, happy couple, when in reality nothing was resolved. In fact had he not shown up at the apartment so agitated needing to talk, we would probably still be estranged.

"Can we talk now?" He asked in a whisper leaning closer. "In private."

_God he smells good_. I realized breathing in the allure that seemed to be drawing me back to him. No matter what was happening between us, I could never deny the pull that had been there from day one.

Giving him a quick once over he looked exhausted but was still well was dressed in a deep plum colored shirt that was a welcome change from the usual earth tones and black. I found it interesting that he chose to wear something from the purple family since I never pegged him to be vain or overly proud; confident yes, almost bordering arrogant just like Sonny, but not obnoxiously proud.

"Yeah, I just need a minute."

Dante obliged, standing a few feet away while I spoke to Maxie. "Please, please, please don't do anything crazy while I'm gone." I begged, knowing she was dying to find out what Johnny was up to with Brooke-Lynn. The last time someone jumped to conclusions it ended badly for me and I did not want the same for her, especially now.

Maxie rolled her eyes in dramatically as if what I suggested was completely absurd, when in fact we both knew what jealousy could drive her to do. "You don't have to babysit me, I'll behave…. and if Dante happens to go psycho, just hit him and run 'cuz it's going to be hard to cover up a murder with all these people around."

I shoved her lightly in the arm for the reference to the secret we promised to take to our graves. "Funny." Then gave her a final warning glance before walking away. Port Charles parties' were never without incident, so it was a waiting game with trepidation to see what would unfold tonight.

**Dante's POV**

Lulu and I weaved through the crowd towards the door and I noticed she had refused the champagne offered by passing waiters and waitresses. It could have been a coincidence I normally would have never picked up on, but given the potential alternative it was a huge red flag. The music faded to a faint melody as we exited the mansion into the gardens. It was a picturesque sight that would have been the ideal backdrop for a storybook romantic moment: Lulu in a short sexy red dress, her hair swept up into a sleek high ponytail that under different circumstances I could imagine lightly tugging on, and the moonlight hitting her at all the right angles making it appear as if she subtly glowed. Then again that glow could have been a reason other than the moon, and I still was not sure how I would feel if it was.

Under Lulu's curious gaze - head slightly tilted to the side in that usual way whenever she was trying to figure something or someone out – I fell silent. There were so many things I wanted to say earlier, but now that the adrenaline had waned I had no idea where to start. We had not had a real conversation in a while so blurting out 'are you having my baby?' did not seem like the best way to start.

"You look great." I complemented instead, hoping to beak the tension that seemed to be swallowing us.

"Thanks." Arms folded across her chest while rocking back and forth on her heels, she waited for me to continue speaking, but I was at a loss for words. What was the correct protocol for asking your technically wife if she is carrying your child. "Dante are you ok? 'Cuz you're acting really weird. When was the last time you slept?"

She had no idea how hard a feat that was_._ I wished I could sleep, but every time I closed my eyes dreams of what could have been morphed into nightmares of the present. It was much easier to stay awake than face my inner most feelings. I remembered a time when the thought of children was incomprehensible, and if I were being honest it still was. Nevertheless I could not live with myself if I knowingly let Lulu destroy a part of me; at least not without a fight.

"Remember before we got married we talked about kids?" I asked, still unsure of how to work my way to the real question.

"Yeah, neither of us wanted any. That was probably the only thing we agreed on."

"It wasn't that I didn't want kids, I just didn't want us to have any."

Lulu's eyebrows rose incredulously as she took a step back. "Wow! Thanks a lot!"

When I realized how bad that must have sounded I grabbed her by both hands, pulling her closer in hopes of making her understand it was not the insult she took it to be. "No, no, no that's not what I meant. Any man would be lucky to have a child with you, you're amazing, but at the time our marriage was just on paper and it would have been wrong to bring a child into that. Things are different now though. We may not in the best place, but you have to admit this doesn't feel like it's just on paper anymore."

"You're talking in circles and I'm not sure what you're trying to say, so just spit it out." She responded impatiently.

This was not going well at all. Everything was completely jumbled in my head that it was difficult to find the right words that would explain my thoughts without sounding like a lunatic. Maybe it was better to just blurt it out instead of sugar coating which was getting me nowhere.

"Okay…" With a heavy intake of breath, I told her what I knew. "My mom said she ran into you the other day…"

A strange look that I could not discern overtook Lulu's previous impatience and her hands instantly unclasped mine, falling limp to her sides. "Oh no…"

"And you were buying a pregnancy test…"

"Oh God…" She groaned, eyes slowly closing whilst her head shook.

"Are you pregnant?"

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	29. So Accusing Their Eyes

**Hi everyone! Thank you for all the great reviews i have received. I know my updates are ****n****ot frequent which probably causes people to lose interest, but i do hope you keep reading because i plan to finish this story. For those still reading many thanks for not giving up on me, and ENJOY :)  
**

**29 – So Accusing Their Eyes  
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**Lulu's POV**

Agreeing to talk to Dante was beginning to feel like a waste of time. I was not sure what he wanted to say but all I was hearing was complements twisted into subtle insults. "You're talking in circles and I'm not sure what you're trying to say, so just spit it out." I told him impatiently. My snapping was not intentional, but the prolonging was making me edgy. Given everything that had happened between us, there was not much more Dante could do or say to hurt me. _I hope_

Still holding my hands, he sighed loudly sounding so dramatic almost like Maxie that I instinctively rolled my eyes. It was then my eyes caught sight of moving figures in the empty room upstairs. The double glass doors leading to the upstairs balcony were closed, but with the lights on and no curtains it was easy to see two people in an embrace. The party was definitely living up to its name, and with the amount of alcohol flowing, that couple was not the last hook up the night would see.

Dante's words were not fully registering in my subconscious while my attention was glued above his head to the couple upstairs. I imagined them to be around my age, at the cusp of their relationship when everything was novel and passionate. It did not matter where you were or who was around, the magnetism was irresistible and each time felt like the best high. I had that with Dante. We were like fire and gasoline – hot, explosive - but in the best way.

For some the magnetism dulled but for others it lasted a lifetime. This town watched Carly continuously swear to stay away from Sonny only to be pulled back in the moment either of them was in crisis. Married or not their bond was literally till death do they part, and I could not help but wonder if this would be my fate? Was there some unbreakable tie that would hold Dante and me together for a lifetime?

"My mom said she ran into you the other day…"

The couple separated and turned quickly as if they had been surprised. The woman was now in my direct line of sight and I easily recognized the dress that left little of her chest to the imagination. _Brooke-Lynn._ I should have known she would pull something. All I could see on her partner was his dark hair and I hoped it was not…

My hands instantly unclasped Dante's, falling limp to my sides. "Oh no…"

"And you were buying a pregnancy test…"

There was now third person in the room with all too familiar short blonde hair and the scene quickly escalated to fingers pointing and arms flailing in animated anger. "Oh God…"

She promised not to do this; she swore to leave it alone, but I guess I should have known better than to trust Maxie with impulse control; especially now with the pregnancy. And as for Johnny, whatever he had planned could not be worth how far out of hand this was getting. It was one thing to flirt and be nice to the woman your fiancé hated, but suicide to be entangled with her. He knew Maxie's temper, why would he even risk it here of all places?

"Are you pregnant?"

"What?" My focus had been so trained on what was happening in that room I barely heard what Dante said, but managed to catch the word pregnant at the end. Did he know about Maxie? Was he telling me someone else was pregnant or someone got someone pregnant? I was not sure, but whatever it was would have to wait until I stopped Maxie from doing something crazy. "I'm sorry Dante; I promise we'll talk later but I need to handle something." Before he could say another word I speed walked through the gardens and back into the mansion as fast as 4'' stilettos could take me without injuring myself.

**Johnny's POV**

The room she led me into was mostly dark except for light streaming in from the hallway. My palm haphazardly scanned the wall for a switch while I convinced myself this was for Maxie -for us - to get back to the somewhat normalcy we had created, but things were going further than planned. Flirting and harmless touching could be explained away but Brooke-Lynn was more aggressive. If Maxie saw us disappear, that would be much harder to explain.

I finally found a switch, flipping it to illuminate our surroundings. The contents were bare minimum but clearly of expensive taste: a mahogany four poster bed as the centerpiece, and the matching dresser and armoire against the wall facing the front of the bed. To the right corner was a chaise with blankets and pillows, and the left wall held double glass doors leading to the balcony. Looking through the glass it was an amazing view of the town, and a potentially romantic setting had I been with the right person. This was truly treading a thin line.

"What are we doing in here?" The question was meant to sound casual but there was a slight edge of annoyance seeping through.

Either she had not heard it or did not care because I was answered with a flirtatious smile, and twist of her hips to the music faintly drifting from downstairs. "I just thought we could use some quiet; you know get away from the crowd."

"Brooke I'm…"

"Engaged to Maxie I know." She finished my sentence and leaned against the door, studying me. "But I also think there is a part of you that is the tiniest bit attracted to me."

At the very least I had to give her credit for being determined.

"I'm not blind, but Maxie thinks you're out to destroy our lives." I told her honestly. Maybe the first honest thing I had said to her all night.

"What do you think?"

Brooke-Lynn was far from unattractive but she tried too hard. Whereas Maxie innately commanded attention the moment she stepped into a room, Brooke-Lynn seemed to have to fight desperately for it, which was a serious turn off.

I was not about to tell her that so I feigned nonchalance. "Whatever you have going on with Maxie and Lulu is your business. I try to stay out of it."

"Yeah right. If you found proof she was right you would sell me out to your fiancé and her best friend in a heartbeat."

Moving towards her so that we were face to face, inches apart, I shook my head ready to spout more lies. Anything it would take for her to incriminate herself and have this mess over with. "Then world war three would start and none of us would have any peace. The less drama I have to deal with the better so IF she was right, I'm sure you and I," gesturing to the limited space between us "could come to a solution that would keep everyone happy."

A mixture of satisfaction and apprehension shrouded her features. She wanted to believe me but there was a sliver of trepidation that it was all deceit. I needed to settle her mind, as a result my hands found her hips, pressing her back to the glass so that she was trapped.

The distrust abandoned with a surprised breath gusting from her mouth, and her arms wrapped around my neck, lightly playing with the strands of hair at the base. The seductress was back.

"So hypothetically, you'd keep your mouth shut in exchange for...?"

"Leaving Maxie and Lulu alone." She pouted not liking the idea, leaving me to find another selling point that would hold her interest. "Think of it this way, the less she hates you the easier it is for us to keep hanging out." Brooke-Lynn leaned towards me pulling my face to hers for a kiss, but on instinct my head reared backwards. That was one line I was not going to cross. "But this is all just hypothetical. After all, you didn't do anything right?"

For a moment her eyebrows furrowed in confusion; it was quick but I caught it, compounding the suspicion of her guilt. I just needed her to admit it.

"Right?" I prodded staring intently into her eyes and pressing the pads of my fingers against her hips in a repetitive motion. Her lips parted, closed, then parted again as if she wanted to say something but the confession would not come.

Taking a step forward to close what little space was left between us, our bodies were now flush against each other. I lowered my mouth to the left of her face and purposely spoke slowly at her ear so that every breath hit her skin. "It's ok if you did, I won't tell."

"I... I... Um..."

_Come on just say it._

The grasp on my hair tightened and the rising and falling of her chest quickened with each stuttering word. She was starting to crack so pushed things a little further and positioned my lips as close as possible to hers without us actually kissing. "No one's gonna know but us." I assured with a dark luring gaze.

"Too late for that"

The door behind us slammed shut and we broke apart startled, causing whatever hold I had on Brook-Lynn to sever. _Damn it Maxie!_. Sometimes she had the worst timing. A few more minutes alone with Brooke-Lynn and she would have told the truth. However, given the outrage radiating from Maxie, so strong that it was like another force in the room with us, her bad timing may have been the least of my problems.

**Lulu's POV**

"Lulu!" Dante called after me but I could not stop. I had a dreadful feeling about the confrontation that was going on upstairs. If Maxie had walked in on what I witnessed from the gardens, pretend or not it would not go down well. At the least I could be a subtle reminder that she had a very important reason not to do anything crazy.

Yelling was heard before I opened the door and upon entering there was bubbling hatred seething between the women. My nerves calmed a bit seeing Johnny hovering near Maxie, likely as a preemptive measure in case someone decided to swing. He knew how hot headed she could be and there was no doubt Maxie would hit first if Brooke-Lynn pushed the wrong button.

"Oh great, you too." She commented rolling her eyes at me.

I was here to run interference and keep the peace but she was making it very difficult for me to remember that. "You need to leave before I have security throw you out."

Brooke-Lynn was unfazed by the threat and stood her ground with arms folded, daring me to do it. Truthfully I had no legitimate reason to throw her out but I was ready to fabricate one if it meant getting her out of here.

"What's going on?"

I turned at the sound of Dante's voice, not realizing he had followed me all the way. This could work in my favor since she would likely maintain her saintly image in his presence. It was a sore point that she loved to exploit by reminding me of the place their friendship held in his life; on a pedestal that seemed untouchable.

As predicted, Brooke's demeanor softened when Dante spoke, and like a chameleon she strategically morphed into his sweet childhood friend that could do wrong. "Maxie is upset that Johnny and I were having a conversation."

"She threw herself at him just like she did to you when she heard about Lulu. Don't you see she is trying to ruin our lives? Why do you think she sent those pictures?" Maxie snapped.

Her petite body almost trembled with building tension and I glared at my best friend silently pleading with her to calm down before she said or did something that would lead to irreversible consequences for herself and her baby. If it came down to it I'd tell Johnny about the pregnancy just to end this.

"Not this again." Brooke threw her hands in the air with indignation. _Always the victim._ "If I were you I'd worry less about who sent those pictures and more about why it seems like your fiancé would rather spend time with his ex girlfriend and a practical stranger than you."

"That's enough." Johnny warned, glowering at her. This was getting out of hand quickly.

"I'm sorry Johnny but I'm tired of them blaming me for their problems. For all Maxie knows, Lulu could have sent those pictures."

The accusation made my head reel back as if I had been slapped. She was heading into very dangerous territory with that statement. "I'd never do that." I defended through gritted teeth, trying to keep my anger in check.

"Right 'cuz you've never stolen someone's boyfriend." The reminder of my past sins dripped from her tongue with sarcasm and condemnation. "I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted Johnny back and saw it as the perfect opportunity to break them up, or maybe it was revenge for Maxie taking him away from you. You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

I made a step towards her but Dante wrapped an arm around my waist holding me firmly against him. "Get out!" Was the only civil thing I could say as my fingers clenched and unclenched, itching to ram a fist to her face. She really was a blight on our lives killing all of our happiness, and for what? A couple of disagreements and mistakes we made as teenagers.

A haughty smirk crossed her lips as if she had won some victory. The more I watched the more I started to believe Maxie was right about the pictures coming from her. For someone claiming innocence, she was reveling in the upheaval of our lives way too much.

"The party was getting boring anyway." Brooke-Lynn pushed past me, purposely nudging my shoulder, then leaned into Maxie whispering something in her ear.

Instant fury blazed in Maxie's eyes erupting to blind rage, and before any of us could react both her hands reached out to grab fistfuls of Brooke-Lynn's hair.

"Maxie don't." I yelled pushing myself out of Dante's security and grabbing hold of Brooke's arm to pull her away, but Maxie would not let go even with Johnny trying to pry her fingers free from the strands. Whatever was said to provoke her could be dealt with later, but the reality of the situation was Maxie was in no condition to be involved in a fight.

Brooke-Lynn clawed and sank her nails into Maxie's arms until she had no choice but to release, pushing Brooke - and by default me - away in the process.

"Crazy bitch." Brooke screeched when we stumbled backwards, but I could not regain my balance fast enough, and braced myself to hit the floor. At least it was carpet so I did not have to worry about a hard fall.

From the corner of my eye I noticed Dante's expression change to panic or maybe fear and I wondered what was wrong. The same look quickly spread like a domino effect to Johnny then Maxie, and I began to worry. _What was happening? Was someone hurt?_ Before I could get the words out a burst of sounds erupted around me in discord succession: my name, screams, a crash, then finally quiet... eerie, morbid, quiet.

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